470 University of California Publications in Geology [Vol. 10 



follows next with six genera, while four extinct genera are known 

 from Samwel Cave. Of the total number of extinct genera, three are 

 common to the three caves. These are Nothrothermm, Megalonyx 

 and Euceratherium. It should be noted here that the latter, are types 

 not usually associated with a typical plains fauna of the Pleistocene. 



In the absence of arctotheres, camels and peccaries, the Hawver 

 Cave fauna is more like that of Samwel Cave than like that of Potter 

 Creek Cave, while in the absence of Preptoceras and the presence of 

 a mastodon, it resembles more the fauna from the latter deposit. In 

 this list we note also the presence of two forms, the ground-sloth 

 Mylodon and a sabre-tooth tiger, which are new to the cave deposits 

 of California. 



Other comparisons of faunas from the Pleistocene caves should 

 also be reported. The true bears probably occur at Hawver Cave, and 

 are known from Potter Creek Cave and Samwel Cave. An extinct 

 species of puma, related to the Recent Felis oregonensis hippolestes, 

 occurs in all three deposits. The large, dire. wolf, known by such abun- 

 dant material at Rancho La Brea, is present in Potter Creek Cave, but 

 absent from Samwel Cave. A large canid from Hawver Cave differs 

 in certain respects from Canis pmnbasileus and approaches C. dims. 

 In other characters this form differs somewhat from the latter species. 

 Remains of the California coon, Procyon psora, and of the skunk, 

 Mephitis occidentalis, occur in Hawver Cave, but the nature of pres- 

 ervation of the material on which these determinations are based, 

 easts suspicion on its Pleistocene age. Aplodont rodents have been 

 reported from the Hawver Cave deposit by Furlong, but the material 

 is not now available for a comparative study. An extinct subspecies, 

 Aplodoniia calif ornica fossilis Sinclair, is known from Potter Creek 

 Cave and from Samwel Cave. 



The mountain goat, Oreamnos, does not occur at Hawver Cave 

 in Eldorado County, but is known from Potter Creek Cave and from 

 Samwel Cave in Shasta County. Deer are known from all three 

 deposits, while bison are present in Hawver Cave and in Potter Creek 

 Cave. Another ungulate characteristic of the three deposits is Eqmis. 

 Elephas is absent from Hawver Cave, but is known from the other 

 two caverns. 



One may naturally enquire whether the differences between the 

 faunas from Hawver Cave, Potter Creek Cave and Samwel Cave 

 are due to actual differences in age of these deposits, or are merely 

 expressions of local variation of an essentially unified fauna. Per- 



