a flDontblv IReview of IRatural Science 
Yol. II., No. 21. 
MALTA, .FEBRUARY 1st. 189\ {^toros? 5 ™ 
CONTENTS. 
— <> — Page 
1. Some evidences of the occupation of tlie Maltese 
Islands— J. H. Cooke, B.Sc.,F.G.S. 315 
2. The Malta Potato Disease 320 
3. The Relationship of the Structure of Rocks to the 
conditions of their Formation— H. J. Johnston 
Lavis, M.D., F.G.S. &c. 320 
4. Notes for the month— A. C. G. 322 
5. On the Collection and Preparation of Foraminifera 
-E. Halkyard, F.R.M.S. 323 
6. The Natural History of Certain Fevers occurring in 
the Mediterranean — Surg. Captain M. Louis 
Hughes, A.M.S. 325 
7. Science Gleanings : — Herrings in Australia,— Effects 
of War,— Cancer, — Extermination of the elephant. 
— Canals of Mars. -Poison of the yew, — Atlantic 
currents,— Silk worms in Russia, — Senses of the 
Anenome,— Climate of Egypt, -Lace industry of 
Malta,— Vandalism in Malta,— the Orange fly in 
America,— Bleeding through the skin.— etc. etc. 327 
8. Maltese Lepidoptera— J. C. Sciortino 329 
9. Answers to correspondents. 330 
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21 
Some evidences of the occupation 
of the Maltese Islands 
BY 
Prehistoric Man. 
John H. Cooke B. Sc., F. G. S. 
During the last half century the researches of 
the Maltese Archeologists Dr. C. Vassallo, and Dr. 
A. A. Caruana have done much towards filling in 
the hiatus which had existed in the history of the 
Maltese Islands from the time when the Phoeni- 
cians erected the megalithic structures of Hagiar 
Chem and Mnaidra down to the present day; and 
in tracing out the chronologic successions of the 
various races that have inhabited the islands dur- 
ing the intervening 3,000 years. 
The historic period of the islands began about 
1,500 B. C. when as Diodorus Siculus informs ns 
the Phoenicians took possession of Malta and re- 
mained in it till 750 B. C., after which it was suc- 
cessively under the sway of the Carthaginians, 
Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Knights, and English. 
The light which the scientific researches of Vas- 
sallo and Caruana have thrown upon this compa- 
ratively recent epoch, has placed us. in possession 
of a mass of historical information of a most 
thorough and reliable character ; but of the epochs 
that preceded this period their work has taught us 
nothing. 
The evidences of the occupation of the caves of 
Gibraltar, of Mentone, of Provence, of Southern 
Italy, and of Sicily by early man have, however, 
led geologists and archeologists alike to look for- 
ward hopefully to the time when similar evidences 
would be forthcoming in the Maltese islands. In 
the course of their researches both Vassallo and 
Caruana were always on the qui rive for any indi- 
cations which might tend to clear up this most 
interesting point; and Prof. Leith Adams, whose 
geological work has rendered Malta classic ground 
