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THE GEOLOGIST. 



their flesh on, the cave could contain. And. this and many other arguments have been 

 used expressly by Dr. Buckland to prove the caves were inhabited by the fossil animals 

 while they were living. Mr. Allen can never reconcile tbese facts with his bubble 

 theory. As to caves having no mouths, it is certain they must have, or have had, if we 

 find anything in their stomachs. It would be equally consistent to argue that the flies 

 found in the crop of a swallow must have produced the stomach in which they were 

 found as to argue that caverns could be tilled by bones of beasts without any orifice for 

 the beasts or the bones to get in by. — Ed. Geol.] 



The Portland Fissures. 



Sir, — Though I should be sorry to do anything which would prolong 

 the discussion on the Portland ossiferous fissures, I am induced to notice 

 a statement, by Mr. Allen, in your July number, p. 253; namely, that a 

 Plymouth correspondent informed him " that there was no aperture in the 

 cavern " (discovered at Orestonin 1859), " and that some of the bones were 

 embedded in ' compact rock.' " 



In some sense each of these assertions is correct : — 



1st. The cavern when discovered certainly had no aperture ; it was easy 

 however to discover where there had been one, The so-called cavern was 

 more correctly a fissure, originally open at the top ; but which, after the 

 receipt of its varied contents, had been closed up with coarse breccia, 

 consisting of large angular masses of limestone, which, from time to time, 

 had fallen in from above and become cemented with carbonate of lime. 



2ndly. Some of the bones were embedded in stalagmite, which might 

 truly enough be termed "compact rock," but could not possibly be con- 

 founded with the true limestone. The quarrymen invariably gave it the 

 distinct local designation of " callis." 



It is undesirable further to occupy your space, and indeed, it is unneces- 

 sary to do so, as this subject has already been discussed in your Journal. 

 See ' Geologist ' for 1859, p. 439, etc. 



I am, truly yours, 

 Lamorna, Torquay, July 17th, 1863. W. Pengelly. 



The Bone Spear-head from the Essex Coprolite Pits, figured in 

 the ' Geologist ' for 1861, page 558. 



Sir, — As the remains of man or his works, in any geological formation, 

 is one of the most interesting discoveries of the present age, no manufac- 

 tured article of decidedly geological age, be it ever so rude, should be cast 

 aside or consigned to the cabinet without there being first brought forward 

 all the evidence possible as to its age and its origin. 



Therefore when a specimen is procured, we should first show it to be one 

 actually worked, and not formed by chance ; secondly, prove from what 

 stratigraphical formation it has been taken ; and, thirdly, ascertain how 

 far back in the scale of geological time this formation dates. 



The specimen which induces me to make the first inquiry is a bone 

 spear-head, which, about five years ago. I procured from a heap of copro- 

 lites belonging to Messrs. Rhodes, Smith, and Co., manure manufacturers, 

 of Selby, along with sharks' teeth, Fucus contrarius, oysters, and various 

 pieces of bone, all of which seem to be of the same geological age. This 



