Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 33.djvu/693

32. On the Mammal-fauna of the Caves of Creswell Crags. By Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.G.S., F.S.A., Professor of Geology and Palaeontology in the Owens College. (Read April 11, 1877.)

Contents.

I. Introduction.

II. The fauna of the Robin Hood Cave.
A. Distribution of Pleistocene Species.
B. Palæolithic Man.
C. Carnivora.
D. Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Proboscidea. and Rodentia.
E. Remains of Historic and Prehistoric (?) Age.

III. The Fauna of the Church-Hole Cave.
A. Distribution of Pleistocene Species.
B. Palæolithic Man.
C. Historic Remains.
D. Robin-Hood and Church-Hole Caves occupied by British Welsh Refugees.

IV. Condition of Fossil remains in Creswell Caves.

V. General Conclusions as to Pleistocene Fauna.

A. No Cave-fauna proved to be Pre- or Interglacial.
B. No proof of Pre- or Interglacial Cave-Man in Britain.

C. The Palæolithic Man of Creswell of late Pleistocene age.

I. Introduction.

The exploration of the caves of Creswell Crags carried on by the Rev. J. M. Mello, F.G.S., in 1875, and brought before the Society in that and the following year, was finally concluded last summer; and the results have been handed over to me, by the Committee, for description—a task of no little difficulty, from the vast numbers of the fossil remains which have been discovered^[1]. The results are of considerable importance, not merely because they confirm the conclusions which were arrived at from the previous explorations, but because they add new facts to the history of palæolithic man in Britain. In dealing with these the Robin-Hood Cave will be taken first; and then I shall check the evidence which it offers by that furnished by the cavern on the other side of the ravine of Creswell Crags known as the Church Hole. It must, however be remarked that the history of both these caverns is rendered imperfect from the promiscuous diggings carried on by unauthorized persons, the results of which have not been brought before the Committee.

1. Our method of work was to put up into calico bags, properly labelled, the results of the labours of each day; and these were, from time to time, sent off in hampers to Owens College, where they were spread out, cleaned, gelatinized, and arranged, each date, corresponding with the day's work, being marked on the plan. This was continued until, in six weeks, the caves were worked out as far as we cared to pursue them.