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Rh have thought that this was too short a time to admit of the deposition of stalagmite over modern figures. In the polemical discussions which followed, archæologists of the highest standing failed to appreciate for a time the true value of the Spanish discovery ; so that, like the discovery of M. Boucher de Perthes, it remained discredited for several years. But futurity has many curious things in its wallet.

About the same time M. Chiron observed a complexity of linear incisions in the cave of Chabot (Card), which were subsequently (1901) recognised by M. Capitan to be figures of animals. In 1895 M. E. Rivière read a paper at the Academy of Sciences, stating that engravings of animals were to be seen on the walls of the cave of La Mouthe (Dordogne), and in the following year M. Daleau announced that similar engravings were deeply cut on the walls of Pair-non-Pair (Gironde).

It was not, however, till September 1901, when MM. Capitan and Breuil submitted joint notices to the Paris Academy of Sciences of the discovery of engravings and paintings of the Palæolithic period in the caves of Combarelles and Font-de-Gaume (both in Dordogne), that cautious archæologists, such as Cartailhac and Boule, announced their belief in the authenticity and genuineness of these very remarkable mural pictures. At last M. Sautuola had his reward. The upshot of the harmony which now prevailed was that the scientific exploration of Altamira was undertaken by MM. Cartailhac and Breuil. Among the results of their investigation was a comprehensive report published in L'Anthropologie (vols. xv. and xvi.) under the title of "Les Peintures et Gravures Murales des Cavernes Pyrenéennes Altamira de Santillane et Marsoulas." This excellent article has since been expanded by the authors into a voluminous and highly illustrated monograph. Before, however, dealing further with Altamira we shall briefly notice the earlier discoveries of M. Rivière in the cave of La Mouthe, and of MM. Capitan and Breuil in the caves of Combarelles and Font-de-Gaume.

La Mouthe.

The exploration of La Mouthe has been conducted under M. Rivière at various periods since 1895 (Bull, de la Soc.