FAUNA OF KENT'S CAVERN.
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harpoons of the barbed type. They vary in length from 31/4 inches to 1 inch, and some have been found which show that, after they had been accidentally broken through the eye, a fresh eye was drilled. That this could readily be effected by means of a pointed flint was proved, as before observed, by the late Mons. E. Lartet, who both made bone needles and bored eyes in them by means of flint tools alone. An excellent and exhaustive essay on the employment of sewing-needles in ancient times, more especially in connection with those from the French caves, has been communicated by M. E. Lartet to the "Reliquiæ Aquitanicæ,"[1] to which the reader is referred for further particulars. As with the Lapps, it seems probable that the thread in use with these needles was made from reindeer sinews; that animal, at all events in the Dordogne, having formed a principal article of food at the period of the occupation of the caves.
Such are the principal works of human art which have been discovered in this most interesting cavern, in the researches conducted under the superintendence of the late Mr. Pengelly, and mainly through grants made by the British Association for the Advancement of Science. A series of them is exhibited in the British Museum.
Before attempting to account for their presence in the cave-deposits, or to ascertain what that betokens, it will be well to take a cursory glance at the animal remains with which they were found associated. For this purpose I take the list prepared by Prof. Boyd Dawkins and Mr. W. A. Sanford, and published in the Report of the British Association for 1869. It embodies, however, the result of an examination of less than one-tenth part of the whole number of specimens obtained, though that tenth exceeded 4,000 in number. The following list comprises nearly all the mammals, bones of which undoubtedly belong to the cave-earth, and omits all species the determination of which is at all uncertain, as well as birds and fishes:—
Lepus timidus (var. diluvianus?), HareRare. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Lagomys pusillus, Tail-less hareVery rare. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Felis leo, var. spelæa, Cave-LionAbundant. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Hyæna crocuta, var. spelæa, Cave-HyænaVery abundant. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Gulo luscus, GluttonVery rare. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Ursus spelæus, Cave-BearAbundant. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Ursus priscus = ferox, Grizzly BearDo. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Ursus arctos, Brown BearScarce. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Canis lupus, WolfRare. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Canis vulpes, var. spelæus, large FoxDo. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Elephas primigenius, MammothNot very common. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Rhinoceros tichorhinus, Woolly RhinocerosAbundant. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
Equus caballus, HorseVery abundant ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ |
