PROCEEDINGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 289 



Further researches may clear up the relation of these faunae with the 

 glacial faunae of the Fiith of Clyde and of Uddewaller, and throw 

 perhaps some new light on the analogies between the younger mol- 

 lusean faunse of Sicily and England, at first so ingeniously exposed by 

 the late Prof. Edward Forbes. 



PROCEEDINGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 



Geological Society of Loxdox. — May 4th, 1859. The following communi- 

 cations were read : — 



1. " On the Ossiferous Cave, called ' Grottadi Maccagnone,' near Palermo." By 

 Dr. H. Falconer, F.R.S., F.G S. 



In a letter, dated Palermo, ^Nlarch 21, 1859, and addressed to Sir C. Lyell, 

 V.P.G.S., Dr. Falconer first states, that from the caves along the coast between 

 Palermo and Trapani he has lately obtained remains of Elcphas antiquiis, Hippo- 

 potamus Pentlandi, H. siculus, Sus priscus ( i), Equiis, Bos, Cervvs intermedins and 

 another species, Felis, Ursns, and Canis, and coprolites of Hycena ; but no remains 

 of Rhinoceros, nor of Elephas primigenius. These additions to the previously 

 ascertaine 1 faim^ of the cave-period in Sicily may aid in putting it in relation 

 with the Newer Tertiary deposits of Italy. 



The author then proceeds to describe the Grotta di Maccagnone, a previously 

 undescribed ossiferous cave, in the Hipi)urite-limestone, westward of the Bay of 

 Carini (between Palermo and Trapani). In the breccia below its entrance he met 

 with remains of Hippopotamus in abundance, and remains of Elephas antiquus in 

 the upper deposit of humus within the cave. But some other fossils were dis- 

 covered under veiy interesting and somewhat anomalous conditions in this cave. 

 The interior of the cavern is lined with stalagmite ; and at a spot on the roof, 

 where this isMenuded, Dr. Falconer found a large patch of bone-breccia containing 

 teeth of Ruminants, bits of carbon, shells of several species of Helix, and a vast 

 abundance of flint and honistone knives of human manufacture. At other places, 

 and wherever the author had the calcareous coating broken by hammers, he found 

 similar remains. At one spot, on breaking the stalagmite, he found against the 

 roof of the cave a thick calcareo-oclueous layer contaming abundance of the 

 coproUtes of a large Hycena. 



Dr. Falconer draws the following inferences from the study of these facts : — 

 (1.) That the Maccagnone Cave was filled up to the roof within the human period, 

 so that a thick layer of bone-splinters, teeth, land-shells, and human objects was 

 agglutinated to the roof by the infiltration of water holding lime in solution. (2.) 

 That the coprohtes of a large Hycena were similarly cemented to the roof at the 

 same period. (.3.) That subsequently, and within the lumian period, such a great 

 amount of change took place in the physical configuration of the district as to 

 have caused the cave to be washed out and emptied of its contents, excepting the 

 patches of material cemented to the roof and since coated witli additional 

 stalagmite. 



2. "On the Jurassic Flora." By Baron AchiUe de Zigno. Communicated 

 by C. Bunbury, Esq., F.G.S. 



In studying the numerous specimens of Jurassic Plants discovered in the Vene- 

 tian Alps, Sig. de Zigno has found it necessary to pass in re\ision all the known 

 species derived from the Jurassic strata in different countries. In preparing his 



