BURIED BONES ABOUT LIVERPOOL. 149 



After the whaling trade had declined in Liverpool, 

 Cetacean bones would lose much of their interest, and 

 often be regarded as useless lumber, and buried in the 

 ground, that being the most ready and economical mode 

 of getting rid of them. It was, however, not easy to 

 dispose of the jaw-bones on account of their great length, 

 but as they had generally been erected on end with the 

 frontal margin upwards, they occupied very little space, 

 and were allowed to remain until the land was required 

 for building purposes. 



Fifty years ago there were many of these jaw-bones left 

 standing, but only two now remain, most of the others 

 having been buried, for they were of little if auy value. 

 They were, however, interesting monuments of Liverpool 

 as it was a hundred years ago, and, as they will now be 

 soon forgotten, a short notice of them and other similar 

 relics may be of interest, and as I have been frequently 

 asked to give an opinion on such buried bones, the subject 

 has been constantly on my mind for many years. 



In the Zoological Gardens in West Derby Koad, opened 

 in 1833, there were the lower jaw-bones of a whale set up 

 across a narrow walk leading up to the higher portion 

 of the grounds, and, as well as I can remember, about 

 twelve or fourteen feet high, and six or seven feet wide 

 at the base where fixed in the ground. The actual length 

 may have been about fifteen feet, but as they would be 

 detached when brought home, the width between the 

 opposite sides at the base of the jaw must have been 

 uncertain. They remained fixed until the gardens were 

 closed in 1863. In 1840 there were similar jaw-bones set 

 up at the entrance to a market garden at ' the top and 

 north corner of Fairclough Lane, and remained there 

 until houses were erected on the site. Many years ago 

 there were the lower jaw-bones standing erect on the 



