12 
not now in operation in the district. We know not how sud- 
denly they may have arisen and fulfilled their course. A space 
of two thousand years is adequate to account for all the phe- 
nomena, if we take this into account, whilst, on the other hand, 
no allowance of time whatever is adequate to account for it on 
the other supposition, i.e. as effected by causes now progressing 
here. 
Brixham Cave is another in which works of man are in the 
lowest stratum. It has been channelled by a strong stream of 
running water flowing through the crevices of the rock from 
the table-land above ; the waters were gathered in the cave, 
and rushing out by a stream to the sea 60 feet higher than the 
present base of the surrounding valleys. In Brixham Cave the 
remains of the mammoth, — gnawed bones, — occur in the lowest 
bed. The implements are worked flints of the simplest shape, 
triangular and lance-shaped, with cutting edges. The bones 
were some of them carried in by water with pebbles and mud, 
others by beasts of prey inhabiting the cave. 
“ Water charged with silt probably found its way into the 
cave by the lower or north entrance, and deposited the cave 
earth, in which occurs so great an accumulation of bones, 
including, in addition to the above-named animals, those of the 
various deer, bear, fox, rhinoceros, hare, and lemming. Looking 
at all the circumstances of the case, I consider it most probable 
that at that second period the cave was at times dry, and at 
other times flooded, not by streams flowing in from higher 
ground, but by flood waters from streams at a level lower than 
that of the cave ; that during the former interval the cave 
continued to be frequented by carnivores, who brought in their 
prey to devour ; and that by each successive inundation succes- 
sive collections of bones were covered up and imbedded in the 
sediment with which the flood waters were charged.”* In 
Brixham Cave there occurred thirty-six specimens of flint, 
fifteen of which had been artificially worked. Mr. Prestwicli 
suggests that the flints were lost or left behind by man during 
occasional visits to the cave, either for the sake of temporary 
refuge, or in following prey which may have sought shelter 
there. 
lie further considers that we can only account for the 
phenomena of Brixham Cave on the suppositions: — 
1. Of greater rainfalls. 
2. Of an intensely cold climate. 
# Prestwicli, p. 558. 
