Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 25.djvu/300

206 posed by Prof. Owen in 1856*, under the mistaken idea that the skull found at Maidenhead belonged to the same genus as that of the Cape Buffalo. There is nothing in common between the skulls of the two animals except the superficial resemblance of the downward direction of the horncores†.

Order Perissodactyla, genus Rhinoceros, species Rhinoceros leptorhinus, Owen. This term is used as the exact equivalent of the R. hemitoechus of Dr. Falconer, and of the R. Merckii of M. Lartet. If the validity of the species R. leptorhinus of Cuvier be proved by subsequent investigation, R, leptorhinus of Owen must be exchanged for R. hemitoechus of Falconer, and Cuvier's species must be taken to represent R. megarhinus of Christol.

Order Proboscidea, genus Elephas, species Elephas antiquus, Falc. This species includes also the Elephas priscus that was proposed by Dr. Falconer, and afterwards withdrawn.

With the exception of the above species, there are none deserving of any especial note among the Postglacial Mammals, there being no clash of opinion among scientific men as to their nomenclature or affinities.

Three animals have been purposely omitted from the list of Postglacial species : — the Fallow deer ( Cervus dama), which is doubtfully inserted by Prof. Owen, but which really cannot boast an antiquity in this country higher than that of the Roman occupation ; the small Short-horn (Bos longifrons), which did not make its appearance in Europe until the characteristic Postglacial mammals had passed away; and the Capra hircus, which was brought to this country probably by the hand of man during the Prehistoric epoch.

The Squirrel and the smaller rodents wild in Britain probably crossed over to this country during the Postglacial epoch, although the former, from its arboreal habits, and the majority of the latter, from their small size, have not been found in any deposit of that age. It would have been impossible for them to have invaded Britain after its insulation from the mainland of Europe.

§ 5. Identity of the Mammalia of the Caves with those of the River- beds. — We have now to discuss the inferences which necessarily flow from the foregoing data. And first as regards the relation of the fossil mammals of the caves to those of the river- deposits. Dr. Falconer, in his memorable essay on the Caves of Gower‡, established the fact that all the caves in Britain with which he was acquainted belong to one and the same Postglacial geological epoch. A glance at the table of distribution shows, not only the truth of this conclusion, but further, that the entire group of cave-mammals is identical with that of the river-deposits. Out of a sum total of 47 mammals found in both, Rhinoceros megarhinus and Cervus Browni being excepted, there are but 15 cave-mammals that have not been found in the latter, namely, two species of Bat, the Glutton, Badger, Ermine, Stoat, Otter, Panther, Lynx, Machairodus, Elk, Spermo-


 * Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol, xii. p. 124.

† On this point the Osteological Catalogue of the Oxford Museum, No. 552, gives ample details.

‡ Op. cit. vol. ii.