"a whistle, as it is made similarly to those found in the "south of France, belonging to the reindeer period. Only

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one coin has as yet been found, which is of the Roman "Emperor Domitian;* I found it covered by a few inches of "the soil. The animal remains consist principally of the "stag, roebuck, small ox, wild boar, pig, fox, badger, goat, "wild cat, water vole and old English black rat. I have "numbers of bones yet undetermined, but I find all those "containing marrow to have been split open longitudinally, "whilst upon others are marks of both metal and stone "implements, according to the depth at which they occur. "The human remains represent all ages from the child to the "adult; in one portion of a child's jaw the permanent teeth are just forward, and are thrusting out the deciduous ones." Since the above was penned explorations have been re-commenced with every prospect of success, and Mr. Morris reports the discovery of immense quantities of human bones, along with a fine looped chisel, (too commonly called a celt,) dagger, and a very remarkable cutting instrument, in bronze; a Roman axe and hammer head in iron; rudely fashioned early British pottery, perforated for suspension; lastly, some ornaments, comprising a trefoil-shaped Roman fibula, and an enamelled pin, with beads of amber and earthenware.†

In the preceding pages many interesting questions have been raised, affording scope for discussion of a far more comprehensive character than present limits will admit, and a short summary must conclude this paper.

We know that beasts of prey and other of the largest

The presence of Roman coins does not necessarily imply an absolutely coeval occupation, such pieces remaining in circulation for several centuries. In the Victoria cave, however, we have other evidence confirmatory of contemporaneous residence, as very probably may yet be discovered in Kirkhead.

+ Mr. Morris reports the discovery of a second cavern in the western promontory of Cartmel," Capeshead Cave," containing human bones, which as usual occur in the stalagmitic carpeting of the clay floor. No traces of man's handicraft have hitherto been noticed, the recess not having yet been thoroughly looked over, to say nothing of the promised complete excavation which may possibly provide other materials of most legitimate interest for the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire.

mammalia have dwelt in our land, possibly under very differing circumstances of temperature &c. to those existing, and have resorted for shelter or other temporary object to the extensive and numerous caves abounding in some of our hilly districts, but it has not yet been clearly demonstrated that their remains are absolutely associated with those of any race of man existing within the last two thousand years, or sufficiently so to prove unmistakeable contemporaneity. Allusion is here made to the lion, rhinoceros, elephant, hippopotamus, hyæna, cave tiger, European bear and great Irish deer. At the commencement of our era the Romans found here the large primeval ox, the long-fronted (or short horned) ox, wild boar, one or two species of red deer, roebuck, goat, wolf, wolfdog and badger, all of which-save perhaps the roebuck, said still to exist in the wilds of Devon-have since become extinct in this country although some have merged into extant species. Their remains, along with RomanoBritish relics, are, with the exception of the large ox, of frequent occurrence, completely establishing their existence at least during the greater part of the Roman occupancy of this country, and it is a noteworthy fact that bones of the native wolfdog (Canis primævus) occur more frequently than any other in the Craven caves, and usually associated with those of the rat on the latest natural floors of several of them when first examined, shewing a later habitation by these animals than by man. Indeed, no object recognized as of exclusively Saxon or early English origin has been discovered in these caves; the only articles of an archæological character, later than about the sixth century, so far as known, being a few silver pennies of Edward II or III, these being found, not in any of the caves above-named, but in one of secondary note, situate in the range of scaur bearing the name of the Attermire Rocks, and nearly a mile from the Victoria cave. It was in Yorkshire, we must remember, that

a price was last set upon the head of a wolf,—at least it is so stated by Topham, and consequently those uncultivated and cavern-furnished wilds may fairly claim to have been among the last resorts in England of this once national scourge.

Summing up all the present available evidence, I beg to submit

Firstly, that the Craven caves, originally mere volcanic crevices in the limestone, enlarged by running water, were the resort of large beasts of prey when dry, but, becoming increasingly subject to inundation, the remains of destroyer and destroyed became commingled with the alluvial clay deposited along with a few rude instruments, these having been fabricated by a primeval race of men, occasionally inhabiting the caves during war or whilst engaged in the chase.

Secondly, that after long ages of alluvial deposition, they became the temporary abode of a partially civilized race, possibly merely sojourning in these now upland regions-like the peasants of Sweden and Norway, with their cattle during the summer months, at the present day-making many of their ornaments of bone, and their weapons still chiefly of stone and flint.

Thirdly, as the occasional or accidental resort of a comparatively civilized people, who, by communication with the coast and the foreigners trading thereto, had acquired some knowledge of metals, and could appreciate an artistic ornament for the adornment of their persons.

Fourthly, as a temporary refuge of a more or less Romanized people during some sudden incursion of northern barbarians, or in the last gallant struggles of the Brigantes with the might and discipline of Rome.

Fifthly, as still a refuge when, on the gradual retirement of the Imperial legionaries from Britain for the defence of the more central portion of the Empire, the North became fearfully subject to inroads from her ancient foes beyond the wall, and no man's tenement was safe.

Sixthly, and lastly, as the dreary abode of badgers, foxes, and wolves, preying upon the increasing flocks of a country whose inhabitants were at length settling down into peaceful occupations; until, these vermin effectually exterminated, the Craven caves were left to the custody of rats, who fed for ages upon the bones of their numerous predecessors. It was

reserved for our own century to witness here the first enthusiastic groping and grubbing of the antiquary, associated with the dimly theorizing generalization of the geologist and ethnologist.

The sister sciences of Geology and Archæology, great and splendid as have been the recent efforts and successes of their more earnest professors, evidently offer a glorious harvest in the future. They may not be inaptly termed dark, mystic and long neglected chambers in the great temple of human knowledge, the mere portals of which have as yet alone been traversed, even by the most daring and enthusiastic of their votaries.

NOTE. The foregoing description of the Craven district appearing somewhat meagre as regards its geological features, the writer will, he trusts, be excused in his adding some characteristic remarks of Mr. Gilbert Baker, in his North Yorkshire; Studies of its Botany, Geology, Climate and Physical Geography, which will be found to bear an important relation to the subject-matter of this paper.

"The Lower Mountain Limestone is more or less exposed to view in "the depths of each of the three principal dales of the western moor"lands-Teesdale, Swaledale and Yoredale. A long line of strongly "marked dislocation passes northward from the Ingleborough district "to the mountains round the source of the South Tyne, an idea of the "tremendous character of which may be gathered from the fact that Longman and Co., London, 1863.

"for a length of forty-five miles, the strata are displaced to the extent "of at least 3,000 feet. An observer stationed upon the elevated edge

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on the east of this line, stands upon millstone-grit strata, with a thick mass of mountain limestone beneath them, and sees out-stretched, "2,000 feet below him, the valley of the Eden and the plain of Carlisle, "where these same mountain limestone and millstone-grit beds are "buried beneath superincumbent deposits of New Red Sandstone. 'Along this main line of dislocation, known by the name of the "Pennine Fault, and in the Craven country about Settle, the lower "mountain limestone is seen to the best advantage. Here it forms a compact calcareous mass about four hundred feet in thickness, with 'very little interpolation of non-calcareous material, with numerous "vertical fissures; and in some places, as for instance on the south. "eastern slope of Ingleborough, it may be seen with its lower beds full "of broken slate boulders resting upon masses of dark coloured Silurian "slate. The steep precipices which girdle Langstrothdale, Littondale, Gordale, Ribblesdale, Ingletondale and Kingsdale, and the thick mass "of caverned and fissured limestone that forms the general base of "the well-known Craven hills, Fountains Fell, Inlgeborough, Penny"ghent and Whernside, must all be referred here. Along the western "border of the county it forms the lower part of the great Pennine escarpment, still shewing fine limestone scaurs as far north as the "country round the head of the Tees. As it passes towards the north, "both along the edge of this line and in the interior of the moorland mass, it loses the distinctly marked calcareous stamp which charac"terizes it in Craven, and the farther it goes in that direction argillaceous and arenaceous bands are more and more mixed up with the "limestone."

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