6 



occupants than almost any other. The British localities are in Devon 

 and Somerset, near Torquay and Brixham, and in the Mendip Hills ; 

 the promontory of Gower in South Wales, where eight caves have 

 been carefully explored by Colonel Wood and the late Dr. Falconer ; 

 the Coygan Cave, near Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, partially ex- 

 plored by Mr. Henry Hicks, of St. David's. (See Geol. Mag., vol. 

 IV., page 307, 1867.) The historical cave of Kirkdale, rendered 

 famous by Dr. Buckland's researches. The Caves of Liege and of 

 the Valley of the Lesse in Belgium ; of the Vezere, the Dordogne, 

 and the Aveyron in France, explored by Schmerling, Dupont, Lartet 

 and Christy, the Vicomte de Lastic, the Comte de Vibray, and 

 many others. Bich as is the fauna revealed by our English Caves, 

 they cannot be compared for one instant as regards the human re- 

 mains and works of art which the French Caves have made known 

 to us, I say, advisedly, works of art, for we have now ample materials 

 in this country even to show the wonderful ingenuity and skill dis- 

 played by the ancient Aquitanians in the fabrication of needles, 

 weapons of the chase, both in wood and stone, swords made of rein- 

 deer horn, ornaments in the same material ; and, lastly, in depicting 

 the animals they knew living around them. 1 



The time forbids me to enter upon an account of the Shell-mounds 

 and Danish Peat Mosses ; nor of the Irish Peat-bogs and Swiss Pile- 

 works, each of which would form a chapter by itself. On the con- 

 trary, I shall, by your permission, occupy your attention with a brief 

 account of the fauna of the Pre-historic period generally, as revealed 

 to us in the various superficial deposits included in what is now 

 generally termed the Quaternary epoch. 



In the accompanying Table I have endeavoured to show the 

 species of animals found in association with early man, as evidenced 

 by his weapons in one set of deposits, and by his osseous remains 



1 Those interested in these researches, who have not yet personally inspected the 

 rich collection of Pre-historic remains, so admirably arranged and displayed in the 

 Ethnological department of the British Museum, and the Christy Collection (exhibited 

 on Fridays, — admission by ticket, obtainable gratis any day at the British Museum), 

 under the able direction of A. W. Franks, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.G.S.— should take 

 the first occasion to do so, and they will find themselves well repaid by seeing pro- 

 bably the best collection extant of works of early and savage man from all countries. 



