SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
381 
oldest stratifxed rocli in Scotland is that called by Sir E. Murchison ‘the 
Fundamental Gneiss,’ which forms the whole of the island of Lewis in the 
Hebrides. On this gneiss, in parts of the Western Highlands, the Lower 
Cambrian and various metamorphic rocks rest unconformably. It is con- 
jectured that this ancient gneiss of Scotland may correspond in date loith part 
of the great Laurentian group of North America! — Vide Geological Magazme, 
hlarch. 
Man co-existent ivith the Reindeer and Beaver. — Professor Van Beiieden, 
who lately explored the bone caverns of Nutons, in the valley of the Lesse, 
gives the following description of the fossils found in this grotto : — The bones 
of the skeletons were found scattered ; the long bones were placed longitu- 
dinally, and in one instance a cranium was found covered by an enormous stone, 
wdiich was adherent to the walls of the cavern by stalagmite. This cranium was 
half-filled with stones, which appeared scarcely smaller than the occipital fora- 
men through which they must have passed. In front of the cranium were found 
a scapula, some clavicles, ribs, long bones, and vertebrae of youths, children, 
and adults. One of the neck vertebrae had been pressed with such violence 
against the coracoid process of the scapula that the ring was broken, and the 
two structures could not be separated without violence. In other instances 
bones were found v/edged in between stones in such a manner that there was 
no space left between the two materials. Human bones occurred side by side 
with those of a bear allied to Ursus spielevus, and of the ox, horse, reindeer, 
beaver, goat, glutton, some carnivora, birds, and fish. With the animal 
remains there occurred specimens of flint implements of a rude kind, some 
pieces of coarse pottery, fragments of charcoal, calcined bones, and some 
antlers of the remdeer, vdiich bore evidence of a primitive carving or 
ornamentation. In making the investigations it was found that there was no 
disturbance of the soil, and that the only external communication was in 
front. — Vide Compotes Rendus, t. LIX., No. 26. 
The Eruption of Etna, which is reputed to continue its work of devastation, 
is stated by M. Elie de Beaumont to have taken place at a point about as 
distant from the centre of the mountain, and as high above the sea-level, as 
the spot near Nicolosi where the celebrated eruption of 1669 occurred. 
A Jawbone of the Red Deer (Cervus Elaphus) was discovered by the work- 
men engaged in sinking one of the cylinders for the new sea-forts at Spithead, 
and has been forwarded by Mr. T. Harris to the British Museum. The 
specimen consists of the left ramus of the lower jaw, and has five teeth 
in situ, the crowns of which are all worn ; showing it to have belonged to an 
adult animal. In the inner sides of the teeth amd jaw were found patches of 
a thin incrustation of iron pyrites. The bone was extremely fresh-looking, 
and, though found at a depth of 40 feet in the shmgle, must have been 
deposited at a comparatively recent period. 
The Gibraltar Cave-fossils. — Mr. Busk’s long-expected paper upon this 
subject was read before the Ethnological Society on Tuesday, February 7th. 
The rock in which the caverns of Gibraltar were found is limestone, and 
extends for about three miles from north to south, at an elevation varymg 
from 1,400 to 1,200 feet. It is geologically divided into three nearly ecpaal 
portions by cleavages, which separate the higher parts of the rock on the 
north and south from the central and lower part. At the southern face of the 
