THE 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
JULY, 1884. 
I. the DOMESTIC ANIMALS IN THE “PILE- 
DWELLINGS” OF THE BIEBR LAKE. 
UCH attention has been drawn of late years to the 
pre-historic remains discovered on the margins of 
certain lakes in Switzerland. Most of our readers 
will be perfedtly aware that the shores of the lakes of 
Geneva and Neuchatel were once inhabited by a race of men 
who in many respeCts resembled the Dyaks of the Eastern 
Archipelago. As a means of security against enemies these 
extinCt Swiss tribes drove piles into the lake bottoms in 
shallow parts, and on the summits of these constructed 
their huts. Like the Dyaks, further, they adhered to the 
same style of architecture, even in spots not overflown — 
constantly at least — with water. Whether this singular 
custom may be regarded as a “ survival,” proving man’s 
ultimate descent from some tree-haunting animal, is a 
question which we cannot here discuss. 
That the remains of these old dwellings have proved in- 
valuable documents to the ethnologist need scarcely be 
insisted upon. But the zoologist — taking the word in its 
ordinary limited sense, as applied to one who studies the 
lower animals only as distinguished from man — is not less 
concerned. During the last ten years important drainage 
operations have been carried on at the Biebr Lake, which 
have permanently lowered its level and laid dry a consider- 
able traCt of country. Here, of course, a more extended 
and systematic exploration has been rendered possible than 
could be attempted on the shores and in the shallows of the 
VOL. VI. (THIRD SERIES). 2C 
