^0\. 59] PLIOCENE CAVERN AT DOVEHOLES. 105 



12. On the Discovert of an Ossiferous Cavern of Pliocene Age 

 at Doveholes, Buxton (Derbyshire). By William Boyd 

 Dawkins, M.A., D.Sc, F.R.S., F.S.A., F.G.S., Professor of 

 Geology in Owens College (Victoria University), Manchester. 

 (Eead January 7th, 1903.) 



[Plates VIII-XIL] 



Contents. 



Page 



I. Introduction 105 



II. The Present Physical Conditions of the District 107 



III. The Conditions of the Discovery 109 



IV. The Fossil Mammalia Ill 



(a) Machairodus crenatidens, Fabrini. 



(b) Hycena. 



(c) Mastodon arwrnensis, Croizet & Jobert. 



(d) Elephas meridionalis, Nesti. 



(e) Bkinoceros etruscus, Falconer. 



(f) Equus Stenonis, Nesti. 



(g) Cervus etueriarum (?), Croizet & Jobert. 



V. The Mammalia of Upper Pliocene Age 121 



VI. The Mammalia introduced by Water from a Hyaena-Den 



at a Higher Level 123 



VII. The Denudation of the District since the Pliocene Age ... 126 



VIII. The Geography of Britain in the Upper Pliocene Age ... 126 



IX. Conclusion 129 



I. Introduction. 



The Carboniferous Limestone, riddled with fissures and potholes in 

 the neighbourhood of Doveholes, and largely occupied by extensive 

 quarries, has from time to time yielded remains of the extinct 

 mammalia. A tusk of mammoth, from a fissure in one or other 

 of these quarries, has been preserved in the Owens College Museum 

 for the last half-century. The latest discovery of a group of mam- 

 mals of far higher antiquity than the mammoth, which I propose 

 to bring before the Society in this communication, was primarily 

 due to Master Hick (who happened to pick up some teeth of 

 Mastodon while rambling over the quarry with other boys) and to 

 Mr. Salt, the well-known Buxton antiquary, who showed me the 

 specimens, along with others which he found at a later time. I 

 am indebted to him for placing the specimens in my hands and 

 giving me all the information at his command, and to the Com- 

 mittee of the Free Library & Museum of Buxton for the loan of 

 specimens. I have also to thank the owner of the quarry, Mr. S. 

 Bibbington, for allowing me to obtain, for the Owens College 

 Museum, the specimens which have from time to time been dis- 

 covered, as the cave in which they rested was opened out by the 

 work in the quarry. I have further to acknowledge the services of 

 the foreman of the quarry, Mr. Gregory, and of Mr. Hall, assistant- 

 Q. J. G. S. No. 234. i 



