300 



RECENT PRE-HISTORIC RESEARCHES. 



very small portions were able to be extracted and preserved 

 by infilt-ation of gelatine. With the teeth it was otherwise ; 

 they were in a sounder condition and particularly so the 

 human teeth,, of which the two explorations have yielded a 

 dozen, belonging to the same individual. Five belonged to 

 the upper jaw and seven to the lower. 



These teeth are of an extremely primitive type. Their 

 character is remarkable on account of the fusion of the roots 

 in the molars. The crowns are much worn down. The 

 diameters of the neck and roots are almost equal to, and in 

 some cases exceed, those of the crown. In absolute diameter 

 the neck and roots of these teeth are by far the greatest yet 

 discovered, w r ith the exception of those found at Krapina and 

 of those in the Gibraltar skull (1). The characteristics of the 

 teeth of Homo Breladensis afford therefore a valuable means 

 of assigning to a particular Palaeolithic epoch other similar 

 finds of Prehistoric Man. 



Of Pleistocene fauna the remains found have been 

 identified by Dr. A. Smith Woodward, of the British Museum, 

 as follows : — 



(1) Rhinoceros tiehorhinus (Woolly Rhinoceros), represented by a well- 



preserved left upper molar and left lower premolar. 



(2) Rangifer tarandus (Reindeer), a large species ; represented by a left 



lower premolar, a left upper molar, right and left fourth lower pre- 

 molars, a part of upper premolar ; by portions of antlers, fragments 

 of feet, and lower end of metacarpus. 



(3) CePVUS elaphus (large stag) ; represented by portions of skull with base 



of antler. 



(4) A large species of horse ; represented by teeth, upper and lower molars, 



incisors and canine. 



(5) A small species of horse ; represented by upper cheek teeth. 



(G) BOS (probably Bos primigenius) ; represented by axial vertebra, part of 

 distal end of metapodial, shaft of same, a fragment of humerus, 

 fragments of left femur and of ulna ; and by numerous teeth. 



(7) Small Bovidae, represented by lower teeth in a portion of jaw, and by 

 fragments of mandible. 



Of flint implements La Cotte has yielded a rich collection. 

 They are all of the Mousterian type and many show skilled 

 workmanship. The flint is mostly of a grey colour, but some 

 is of a very fine black ; whilst there are a few specimens of 

 banded flint of great beauty. The collection is in the 

 Society's Museum. 



The discoveries at La Cotte are not only valuable on 

 account of the light they throw on Palaeolithic Man, but the 

 fauna present in this cave indicates that Jersey, at the period 

 when Homo Breladensis lived, formed part of the Continent. 



(!) See Report of Dr. Keith and Mr. Knowles in Bulletin of Society Jersiaise for 

 1912 (illustrated). An elaborate study of these human documents. 



