CORRESPO^fBET^CE. 
55 
Mammalian and Cave Belies. 
My dear Sir, — Altliough far enough from " Grays Tliurrook," I could 
wish Dr. Falconer could look over m}^ specimens of " mammalian fauna " 
collected in the caves here. Besides that cave on which a paper was read 
by me at Oxford, and where Dr. Falconer showed me the kind attention 
of an older student of geology, and another cave, of which an account was 
read in my name at the Cambridge meeting, I have this summer met with 
a third cave containing the usual remains, mixed with the same flint-chips, 
and opened another barrow in that locality in which these latter speci- 
mens occur. 
By the way, I do not think a very curious notice of flint-chips which I 
discovered in my professional reading has yet appeared in print, except 
from my pen, and where it was not likely to come before students of 
science. Most are aware that in the 5th chapter of Joshua, verses 2 and 3, 
mention is made of " the knives of flint," with which he re-circumcised the 
children of Israel ; but I do not think the following record is patent, 
because it occurs only ia the Septuagint, which often enlarges on matters 
only briefly noticed in the Hebrew text. In Joshua xxiv. 30, it is 
written, " And they buried Joslma in the border of his inheritance, and 
they placed toith him in his tomb (query a tumulus?) the Jiint-knives loith 
which he had circumcised the children of Israel ; and there they are unto 
this day.'' The italics show the Septuagintal amplification of the Hebrew 
text. 
It is impossible not to put "this and that together," — I mean the 
chips in our tumuli and his, — and not to speculate upon the possible fact 
that religious rites had to do Muth the interments of these, and no 
other implements. I by no means would say I think it was so ; but 
the fact is the parent of the thought. I wish Dr. Falconer could in- 
spect my collection of bones. One " undecided point " I should like to 
discuss with him, namely, the comparative age of these mammalian 
bones, and of the great quantities of other bones usually found here 
nearer the surface, or on the surface of the red mould with which the 
caves are filled. Besides the bones of sheep, and swine, and horses, 
in what Buckland called the churchyard state, there are plenty of fish- 
bones, and some curious ones too, that puzzle most of my scientific friends, 
upon a personal inspection.* 
Would it be too much to ask you to say where I can " beg, borrow, or 
get" the notice of the Torquay cave, so as to have an accurate account 
of the exact position, and state of the flint-chips found there P Some of 
us — myself for one — live in places so out of the world, that we are practi- 
cally denied access to sources of trustworthy information near at hand to 
all metropolitan students. 
I want the doctor's opinion, too, as to the date of the breaking up of the 
usual older stalagmitic crust, the thick remains of which adhere to the 
sides of these caves. I fancy my fish-hone^ were under this in one in- 
stance. 
I am. Sir, ever yours faithfully, 
GiLBEET N. Smith. 
Qumfreston Rectory, Tenby, South Wales. 
Dec. I'dth, 1863. 
* Are any frog-bones? In the Heathery Burn cave there were lots of frogs' bones, 
which were called fish-bones nntil the specimens were sent to me for inspection. — Ed. 
Geol. 
