958 PROFESSOR J. PRESTWICK ON THE EVIDENCES OF A SUBMERGENCE 
common, in the caves of San Giro and Maccagnone such bones are scarce, whilst those 
of Hippopotami abounded. 
The bones found in the San Giro breccia belong, according to Falconer, to— 
Hippopotamus major. Sus. 
„ Pentlandi. Bos. 
Elephas antiquus, Cervus. 
Felis (a large sp.), Ursus. 
Canis. 
There are two other caves about four miles westward of Palermo where this breccia 
has been observed. Both are situated at the foot of Monte Belliemi, and at a height 
of about too feet above that of San Giro. In neither of them was there any evidence 
of marine action. In that of Ben Fratelli, which is 320 feet above sea-level, the 
breccia occurs both inside and outside the cave, whilst in the other, or that of 
del Fuedo, 332 feet above sea-level and distant one-third of a mile from the former, 
the breccia is confined to the exterior of the cave (fig. 20), Scina states that both 
the bones and soil here gave out ammoniacal vapours. 
Fig. 20 .—Section from the slope of Monte Belliemi to the Bay of Palermo (Christie). 
Monte Belliemi. Plain of Palermo. Bay of Paleimio. 
2 
a' Bone breccia (= Rnbble-cirift ?), outside tbe cave. 
:: Gravel (of uncertain age). 
The upper beds of the cave of Maccagnone, near Garini, which is situated in a 
similar amphitheatre of hills, have been fully described by Dr. Falconer, but there 
the same uncertainty exists with respect to the character of the lower beds as at 
San Giro. There is also the same profusion of Hippopotamus bones in the breccia 
on the slope in front of the cave. Dr. Falconer says that he “ dug up an enormous 
quantity of these remains within an area of 12 or 14 feet square.” Amongst them 
were a very large number of astragali. There, likewise, the “ bone breccia was 
strewed over with huge blocks of limestone which had fallen since its deposition.” 
With regard to the origin of this extraordinary accumulation of Hippopotamus 
bones, we may at once discard the idea that they were brought to their present 
position by predaceous animals, as were the bones in the breccia of true bone-caves. 
In these, the evidence of their having served for food is unmistakable, as traces of 
the animal’s teeth are conspicuously apparent upon the bones, but the bones in this 
1. Limestone rocks. 
2. Pliocene strata. 
