176 
earth in the darker red of the loam, and the much greater 
prevalence of stones not derivable from the cavern hill. At a 
later period, or periods, the same cause must have operated in 
bringing in the “cave-earth,” and sweeping before it an accu- 
mulation of bones, sometimes, I was told, a barrow-load to- 
gether, and in all unimaginable confusion, not at all like the 
effect of a tranquil deposit. In addition to this must be 
noticed the blocks of stalagmite “ in every branch of the 
cavern ,” whose structure indicated that they were portions of 
an old floor, which in some way not easy of explanation had 
been broken up.* 
3rd. That due allowance has not been made for other very 
obvious causes of disturbances of the contents of the cavern. 
It is quite possible that not only the teeth of the JJrsus 
cultridens found by the committee, but many other things, may 
have got out of place in the melee. 
4th. Including, perhaps, the one human jaw in the upper 
stalagmite floor, for who shall certify that all this magma 
of “ granular stalagmite ” teas stalagmite at all, and not rather 
filtered in through. chinks and passages, bringing with the 
carbonate of limef also the iron in such a state of oxidation as 
it occurs in the superincumbent soil. I can at all events 
certify that the iron in its present state did not enter as 
solution filtering through the rock and forming real stalagmite 
or stalactite. 
If washed in from the surface, we are at once delivered from 
the question, what became of the rest of the skeleton, and also 
from all the laboured calculations about the lapse of time, 
which simply disappear. The gravel of which Mr. Pengelly 
speaks as probably occupying the valley, and requiring an 
immense time to excavate, might have been washed out in a 
single night. 
5th. As to the lower or crystalline stalagmite floor of 
laminated and granular structure, I object to any deductions 
being made from a totally different formation, that is, the 
upper floor, as to its rate of deposit, and the consequent lapse 
of time. One thing seems to me pretty clear, that it must 
have assumed its present crystalline structure under the in- 
fluence of a considerable excess of carbonic acid. How this may 
have come about and what are the conclusions to be derived 
from it (if such be indeed the fact), I leave to be inferred from 
* Third Report, p. vi. 
+ Mr. McEnery speaks of “ the roof, the vestibule, as pierced with spiral 
holes and clefts in all directions, but [now] closed at the surface through 
which flowed copioushj the calcareous matter.'’ — Lit. K. C., p. 69. 
