RECENT PRE-HIST0R1C RESEARCHES. 3Ul 



The absence of remains of marine origin would lead us to 

 infer that in the Mousterian period the land which is called 

 Jersey to-day was then distant from the sea. This quite 

 supports the theory held by geologists that in palaeolithic 

 times England and France were united. 



II.— La Cotte a la Chevre (St. Ouen). 



At the N.W. extremity of Jersey, not far from Grosnez 

 Point, there exists another prehistoric cave-dwelling. Like 

 the Cotte at St. Brelade its floor is about 60 feet above mean 

 tide level. The dimensions of the cave are from mouth to 

 extreme limit 33 feet; in breadth the floor ranges from 15 

 feet for the first half of its length to 9 feet and then tapers 

 off to about 4 feet, terminating in an obtuse angle. 



This cave was formed by the sea, as is shown by the 

 formation of the original floor which consists of sea-sand, 

 pebbles, and a few boulders. The floor thus corresponds with 

 the 70 foot raised beach so conspicuous in many places around 

 the .Jersey coast. Above this layer of sea sand was an 

 unctuous white clay. Next came a clay of a greyish white 

 tint, showing presence of bone and marking the period of 

 occupation. Above these three layers was a yellow gritty 

 clay. 



La Cotte a la Chevre had been partially examined in 

 1881, when an abundance of flint drippings and some well 

 worked implements were discovered, one of which is at present 

 in the Lukis Museum. It is a fine heart-shaped instrument 

 about 3 inches in length and worked on both sides. Near the 

 middle of the cave a shallow^ hearth was found and among the 

 ashes a piece of nodular iron pyrites, doubtless used for 

 striking fire. Subsequent researches by private exploring 

 parties brought to light other implements. It was not until 

 February, 1911, that the Societe Jersiaise decided that a final 

 and systematic examination of the whole of the floor should 

 be made. For an account of these researches and of the final 

 exploration of last year, I must refer the reader to the Report 

 published in the current Bulletin of the Societe Jersiaise. 



Of osteological remains the lower jaw of a deer was 

 found in 1881. During the last excavation traces of bone 

 were everywhere manifest, but in such a state of decay as to 

 be undeterminable. Of the flint implements found during the 

 last exploration all are in the Society's Museum. The 

 previous finds have unfortunately been distributed in other 

 directions, though some have come into the Society's possession. 

 With the single exception of the specimen previously alluded 



