Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 31.djvu/345

Rh to be referred to the Pleistocene age? According to Prof. Lartet it would belong to the latest stages, or those of the Bison and Reindeer. That it belongs to the Pleistocene is to me tolerably certain, because of the presence of large numbers of Reindeer and Bison, which in the succeeding period were very rare in this country. But whether it belongs to an age when the Mammoth and Woolly Rhinoceros had become extinct, seems to be an open question, since both those animals have been found in the district, and since it is extremely improbable that all the animals would migrate by the same routes. Nor is there any proof from the physical character of the superficial strata as to its relation to the Glacial period. It stands on the edge of the non-glaciated area of the eastern side of the Pennine chain of hills, where the boulder-drifts so largely developed in the west cease to be found. It is therefore also an open question as to whether it is of Pre- or of Postglacial age.

Mr., referring to the bronze celt mentioned by Mr. Pennington, stated that he had never seen one of a similar character, and that he thought it to be of modern workmanship. It was found, on analysis, to contain nearly 12 per cent, of zinc, which proved, at any rate, that it did not belong to the Bronze age. He said that the bones discovered were of great interest, as corresponding with those of Pleistocene age in other districts. The great quantity of Reindeer-remains was remarkable, as such numbers had not previously occurred in that part of England.

Mr. remarked that the difficulty connected with the finding of great numbers of mammalian remains was not con- fined to the case of caves. He instanced the case of Happisbro', on the Norfolk coast, where an oyster-bed was discovered in 1812 or 1813, and the fishermen brought up in their dredges immense numbers of mammalian remains. About 2000 teeth of Mammoths or Elephants, representing some 300 or 400 animals, were thus obtained in about fourteen years.

Mr. observed that the accumulation in Windy-Knoll fissure might be simply due to accidents occurring to herds of Bisons and Reindeer passing that way. If the fissure remained open for about 1000 years, and 2 Bisons fell into it every 50 years from herds of 100 or more passing, the number found would easily be produced, and the survivors would probably hardly miss their lost companions.