Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London/Volume 33/On the Fossil Vertebrata hitherto discovered in Spain

by Salvador Arana Calderon

7. On the Fossil Vertebrata hitherto discovered in Spain. By Señor Salvador Calderon, Professor of Natural History in the Institute of Las Palmas. (Read November 22, 1876.)

(Communicated by the President.)

The fossil forms, like the living, have their zoological geography more marked in proportion to the development of life upon our planet; and for this reason, even if there were no other, it becomes a duty on the part of those who devote themselves to this branch of science in Spain, to furnish all the aid possible towards an elucidation of the problems which present themselves to the inquirer, notwithstanding the little attention paid to our scientific literature throughout Europe, already deplored by the great geologist De Verneuil^[1]. With respect to the subject of this paper, it is necessary to bear in mind that no catalogue has ever been made, even of the summary kind which we are about to present, and that our materials have been collected from a large number of periodicals (Spanish, English, French, and German), extending over a period of about thirty years.

The palæontology of our peninsula presents many interesting features in its relations to the natural conditions of the soil. For example, the migrations of quadrupeds, which have caused the formation, in the greater part of Europe, of deposits of remains at a considerable distance from each other, must have been difficult in the Peninsula from the most remote time, and this has given rise to certain peculiarities in our mammalian fauna. Except by continuity, even in recent time, with the African continent, how can we explain the discovery of the Hyæna brunnea, the leopard, the serval, the lynx, and the deer of Barbary in a cave at Gibraltar?

Other important results of these studies is the discovery in the centre of Spain of remains of the Sivatherium, well-marked, according to Dr. Falconer, and also of Hyænarctos, mentioned by Paul Gervais^[2], it having been previously generally believed that these Mammalia had never inhabited Europe, and were confined exclusively to Asia.

The discovery of the types in question confirms the inductions which form the doctrine of modern science, and the theory of the uninterrupted development of organic beings, the Vertebrata beginning with fishes and Labyrinthodonts, and continuing with reptiles, birds, and Mammalia. It is also a confirmation in this part of the world of Owen's arrangement of the four classes of Mammalia.

But it is well known that the importance of the study of fossil Vertebrata is not limited to its palæontological and geological interest, but extends to the scientific investigation of the present zoological geography of this group. Whatever may be our opinion upon the theory of the specific centres which individual organic forms may have taken as their point of departure, it will always be of advantage to the student to find in every locality the prehistoric ancestors of its fauna; to use the comparison of Lyell, the connexion between the present and the fossil forms, particularly in the case of the Mammalia, is the same as that between the different dialects which proceed from one primitive language. It is no longer possible to doubt that a great number of the present forms of animal life have been in existence since the beginning of the Quaternary formation, and that there has been an almost insensible transition from the fauna of that period to that of the present, it being nearly impossible to differentiate the palæontology of the two periods. This opinion has been supported by Owen in his work on British Mammals and Birds.

From this point of view nothing can be more worthy of detailed investigation than the rich bone-deposits of Old Castile, which abound with remains of the present and immediately preceding races, and from which upwards of five hundred thousand arrobas (or quarters) of bones, some fossil, some recent, have been obtained for commercial purposes only. Among these bones have been discovered artificial objects, such as flint knives of the reindeer period, polished axes, and objects of metal.

The investigations in Spain are important when viewed with reference to the subject of extinction of species, particularly those that were contemporary with man in the period termed by Lubbock Palæolithic, and which is marked by the existence of animals that have since disappeared. Taking, for example, the Urus (Bos primigenius), we have clear proofs of its having existed in the Peninsula until a very recent period—among them a philological proof in the name of Monsuri, applied to a small hill on the banks of the Tagus^[3]. It is also important to bear in mind that remains of the mammoth have been found in various parts of Spain—in the caverns of the Pyrenees, in the centre in Madrid, and in the south near the shores of the Mediterranean, a position further south than Home, which has generally been considered the southern limit of the tract in in which the bones of this animal are found. The same may be said of the Rhinoceros tichorhinus, which has, without doubt, been discovered in two different places in the north of the Peninsula.

To sum up the results of the investigations made among the fossil Vertebrata in Spain, we may mention that they arc not represented until we come to the Carboniferous formations (where wo have found impressions of fishes having the tail heterocercal), in coal-shales in the province of Leon, together with many impressions of ferns, which have been carefully studied^[4]. Consequently no remains of this class have been found either in the Silurian or in the Devonian, which contain such abundance of them, in other localities.

The Trias is almost barren of fossils throughout the Peninsula; and the Permian probably does not exist there at all^[5]. We have but little information respecting the Jurassic; and all the data referring to the rest of the Secondary period are still more defective; but it must be borne in mind that in general the information respecting the vertebrate fauna of the first epoch of that period, is everywhere as incomplete as that respecting the deposits which date their origin from it.

The Tertiary formation, characterized by well marked generic and specific forms of Mammalia, is well represented in the Miocene formations of Spain, principally by Pachyderms, Ruminants, and Proboscidea; but in the other members of this series we have to lament a great deficiency of data. No objects of flint have been found similar to those collected by the Abbé Bourgeois, which gave rise to the supposition that man may have existed in the Tertiary period.

It is only in modern times that the caverns of this country have been explored, thanks to the late Don Casiano de Prado, who, in his memoir upon the geology of the province of Madrid, published an appendix containing a list of all the caverns of Spain known to him. The results obtained give reason to expect much from a detailed examination of these caverns throughout the Peninsula, as there are some which date from different epochs of the Quaternary period. A cave near Oñate, in Guipuzcoa^[6], has recently been imperfectly explored, and a large number of remains of hyæna and bears have been found in a good state of preservation. Pour specimens exist in Madrid, in the Museum of Natural History and in that of the Propagator Athenæum of Natural Sciences. Dr. Falconer^[7] has given us an account of the palæontological riches of the celebrated cavern of Gibraltar; and as this and the one above mentioned are situated at opposite extremes of the peninsula, we may reasonably conclude that all the caverns merit our interest. It is therefore unnecessary to enumerate many others equally curious.

We now know that the principal characteristics of the singular quaternary fauna of the South of Europe are well represented in the soil of Spain by the presence of cave-bears and hyænas, of the urus, the horse, and the antelopes; and we have no doubt that other species, which we are surprised to miss, will be, sooner or later, discovered to have been inhabitants of this peninsula. Discoveries of bones which have been made justify us in affirming the existence of man during the Quaternary period. For an account of the many discoveries of objects relating to his industries, we refer to the publications of Professor Vilanova^[8].

The following Table will give an idea of the chronological distribution of the genera, more than sixty in number, and of the species, more than seventy, if we include those which are not determined, and of which we have only mentioned the genera already discovered in the Spanish peninsula, and well determined.

			Carboniferous.		Jurassic.		Cretaceous.		Tertiary.		Quaternary and Recent.
			Genus.	Species.	Genera.	Species.	Genera.	Species.	Genera.	Species.	Genera.	Species.
Mammalia	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	Bimana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	1	1
		Quadrumana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	1?	1?
		Carnivora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	2	2	5	6
		Rodentia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	1	2
		Pachydermata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	10	17	3	4
		Ruminantia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	6	10	5	7
		Cetacea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	1	1
Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			...	...	...	...	...	...	...	...	1	1
Reptiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	Chelonians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	...	...	...	...	2	2
		Saurians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	...	...	2	2	3	4
Batrachians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			...	...	...	...	...	...	1	2
Fishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .			1	1	2	2	3	4	13	14
			1	1	4	4	6	8	35	48	17	22

The following is a catalogue of the genera and species, with only the name of the locality where found and that of the author of the communication^[9].

MAMMALS.

Bimana.

Man.

Concud, in the province of Teruel (Feijoo, Bowles, Torrubia, Asso, and Cuvier).

Onis, in the province of Asturias (Prado).

Gibraltar (Lyell).

Totana, in the province of Murcia (Inchaunvandieta).

Atapuerca, in the province of Burgos (Perez-Arcos).

San Isidro, in Madrid (Vilanova).

Cave of Xarcas, in Cabra (Vilanova).

Cavern of Avellanera, in the province of Valencia (Vilanova).

Cavern of Alhama of Granada (M^cPherson).

Cavern of Albuñol, in the province of Granada; in Montefrio; in a cavern of Almeria (Góngora).

Cavern of Muriel, in the province of Guadalajara (Castel).

Alhama of Aragon (Calderon).

 

Quadrumana.

Peñon of Gibraltar (?) (Imrie).

 

Carnivora.

Ursus, L.

Peña de Mudá, in the province of Palencia (Prado); Gibraltar (Falconer and Busk).

U. spelæus, Blum.—Cabra (Vilanova); Guipuzcoa (Vilanova and Larrimia).

 

Hyænarctos, Cautley et Falc.

Alcoy (Paul Gervais).

 

Meles, L.

M. taxus, Pallas.—Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer).

 

Canis, L.

Argerilla, cavern in the province of Guadalajara (Vilanova); bone deposits of Castile (Gil Maestre).

 

Hyæna, Storr.

Concud, in the province of Teruel (Maestre); cave of Congostrina, in the province of Guadalajara (Prado); caverns of Guipuzcoa (Larrimia).

H. spelæa, Goldf.—Province of Segovia (Prado).

H. brunnea, Thunb.—Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer).

 

Hyænictis, Gaudry.

H. græca? Gaudry.—Concud (Vilanova).

 

Felis, L.

F. leopardus, L.—Cavern of Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer).

F. lynx, L.—Cavern of Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer.)

 

Machairodus, Kaup.

Madrid (Prado).

 

Rodentia.

Incertæ sedis in some caverns.

 

Lepus, L.

Caverns of Valencia (Vilanova) and Gibraltar (Prado).

 

Pachydermata.

Elephas, I.

Spain (P. Torrubia, Cuvier, &c), Cadiz (Buckland); Almeria (Ezquerra); Madrid (Proust and Prado); Valladolid Pastor).

E. armeniacus, Falc.—Province of Burgos (Monasterio); province of Cordoba (Prado and Vilanova); province of Santander (Maestre).

E. primigenius, Blum.—Spain (Cuvier); Madrid (Ezquerra and Prado); Almeria (Ezquerra); province of Santander (Sullivan and O'Reilly).

 

Mastodon, Cuv.

Province of Madrid (Ezquerra); province of Leon (Gomez de Salazar) Concud, in Teruel (Maestre); province of Toledo (Linares and Calderon).

M. angustidens, Cuv.—Spain (Paul Gervais); provinces of Madrid, Leon, Zamora, Valladolid, and Alicante (Ezquerra, Prado, and Vilanova).

M. longirostris, Kaup.—Madrid (Ezquerra and Paul Gervais).

M. aurelianensis, Cuv.—Madrid (Ezquerra).

M. giganteus, Cuv.—Madrid and Teruel (Ezquerra).

M. tapiroides, Cuv.—Madrid (Prado).

 

Sus, L.

Cavern of Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer); cavern of Cabra (Vilanova).

S. sp. ind.—Spain (Hermann and Kaup).

S. palæochœrus, Kaup.—Madrid (Prado and Paul Gervais); Alcoy (Ezquerra).

S. Lockharti, Pomel.—Madrid? (Prado).

S. scrofa, L.—Bone deposits in Castile (Vilanova and Gil Maestre).

 

Palæotherium, Cuv.

P. aurellanense, Cuv.—Madrid (Ezquerra and Padro).

P. Ezquerræ, H. v. Mey.—Madrid (Hermann von Meyer).

 

Chœropotamus, Blainv.

C. matritensis, Ezq.—Madrid (Ezquerra).

 

Anoplotherium, Cuv.

A. glaciale, Cuv.—Alcoy (Ezquerra).

A. murinum, Cuv.—Madrid (Ezquerra).

 

Cainotherium, Brav. et Plainv.

Provinces of Madrid, Toledo, and Guadalajara (Paul Gervais and Prado).

 

Equus, L.

Tertiary remains in Concud (Maestre); in the caverns of Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer), Valencia (Vilanova), and Santander (Naranjo); in alluvial deposits of Madrid (Prado and Bayle), of Guadalajara (Calderon), and in bone deposits of Castile (Gil Maestre).

E. primigenius, Blum.—Concud (Ezquerra); Cabra (Vilanova).

E. fossilis, Cuv.— Guadalajara and cavern of Tativa (Vilanova); Vitoria (Velasco); Malaga (Orueta).

 

Hippotherium, Kaup.

H. glaciale, Kaup.—Concud and Alcoy (Ezquerra).

 

Hipparion, Crist.

Concud and Madrid (Prado and Paul Gervais).

H. gracile, Kaup.—Tarancon, in Cuenca (Cortazar).

H. prostylum, Gerv.—Concud (Prado and Vilanova); Vitoria (Velasco).

 

Ruminantia.

Sivatherium, Cautley et Falc.

River-course of Duero (Falconer).

 

Cervus, L.

Tertiary remains in Spain (Paul Gervais). Quaternary in Old Castile and Guadalajara (Vilanova and Calderon); in some caverns of Valencia (Vilanova); cave of Guadalajara (Castel).

C. dicrocerus, Lart.—Concud (Vilanova).

C. cuzanus, C. et T.—Concud (Vilanova).

C. matritensis, Ezq.—Madrid (Ezquerra).

C. capreolus, L.—Cave of Almeria (Gongora).

C. dama, Robert.—Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer).

C. barbarus, L.—Gibraltar (Lesson, Busk, and Falconer).

C. elaphus, L.—Madrid (Prado).

 

Tragocerus, Belon.

T. amaltheus, Roth et Wagn.—Concud? (Vilanova).

 

Palæomeris, H. v. Mey.

Spain (Hermann and Kaup); Madrid (Paul Gervais).

P. Bojani, H. v. Mey.—Madrid? (Prado).

P. Scheuchzerii, H. v. Mey.—Madrid and Alcoy (Ezquerra).

 

Antilope, L.

Tertiary remains in Spain (Paul Gervais), in Concud (Vilanova). Quaternary remains in some localities of Spain (Pictet), in Santander (Calderon), in the cavern of Segovia (Areitio and Quiroga).

A. sansaniensis, Gerv.—Concud (Vilanova).

A. boodon, Gerv.—Alcoy (Paul Gervais); Concud (Vilanova).

 

Ovis, L.

Bone deposits of Castile (Gil Maestre).

 

Capra, L.

Bone deposits of Old Castile (Gil Maestre).

Bos, L.

Concud (Maestre); caverns of Valencia (Vilanova); Guadalajara (Calderon); bone-deposits of Old Castile (Bos longifrons?, Owen) (Gil Maestre and Calderon).

B. concudensis, Ezq.—Concud (Ezquerra).

B. primigenius, Boj.—Provinces of Madrid (Prado), Leon (Prado and Ezquerra), Guadalajara (Vilanova and Calderon), Seville (Prado), and Cadiz (Lujan).

 

Cetacea.

Remains in the Tejares de Málaga (Ansted).

 

Dinotherium, Kaup.

D. giganteum, Kaup.—Spain (Ezquerra).

 

BIRDS.

Falco, L.

F. nisus, L.—Gibraltar (Busk and Falconer).

 

REPTILES.

Chelonia.

Remains in Jurassic deposits of Guadalajara (Ezquerra); in the Cretaceous of Navarre (Ezquerra); in the Tertiary of Madrid (Prado, Bosia, Bolivar, Lezcano, Larrimia, and Calderon); and in caverns of Gibraltar (Falconer) and Valencia (Vilanova).

 

Testudo, Brongn.

T. nov. sp.—Tejares de Málaga (Orueta).

Trionyx, Goldf.

T. maunoir, Bourd.—Tudela? (Ezquerra).

 

Sauria.

Crocodilus, Laur.

C. nov. sp., Sharpe.—Cretaceous of Congostrina in Guadalajara (Ezquerra).

C. Rollineti, Brongn.—Province of Zamora? (Vilanova).

 

Megalosaurus, Buckl.

Province of Asturias (Egozene).

 

Iguanodon, Mantell.

Utrilla, in the Province of Teruel (Vilanova).

 

Ichthyosaurus, König.

Pyrenees of Navarre (Ezquerra).

 

Plesiosaurus, Conyb.

Province of Asturias (Schulz).

 

Batrachia.

Tertiary remains in the Serrata de Lorca. Province of Murcia (Botella).

 

FISHES.

Sphyræna, Bloch.

Serrata de Lorca (Botella).

 

Rhamphognathus, Agass.

R. Verneuilli, Botella.—Serrata de Lorca (Botella).

 

Clupea, L.

C. Gervaisii, Botella.—Serrata de Lorca (Botella and Areitio).

C. elongata, Agass.—Serrata de Lorca (Botella).

 

Seriola, Bloch.

S. Beaamonti, Botella.—Serrata de Lorca (Botella). {dhr}}

Dapedius, Agass.

D. Colei, Agass.—Province of Santander (Naranjo).

 

Pycnodus, Agass.

P. Münsteri, Agass.—Province of Guadalajara (Ezquerra).

P. complanatus, Agass.—Province of Teruel (Vilanova).

 

Palæobalistum, Blainv.

Almeria (Ezquerra).

Carcharias, Cuv.

Provinces of Almeria (Cortazar) and Málaga (Orueta).

 

Squalus, L.

Provinces of Seville (Lujan), of Cadiz (M^cPherson), and of Tarragona (Maestre).

 

Carcharodon, Smith.

Málaga (Orueta).

Corax, Agass.

Málaga (Orueta).

Notidanus, Cuv.

N. primigenius, Agass.—Málaga (Orueta).

 

Oxyrhina, Agass.

Jurassic deposits of Guadalajara (Calderon), and Tertiary of Tejares de Málaga (Orueta).

O. minuta, Agass.—Province of Huesca (Mallada). O. xiphodon, Agass.—Province of Almeria (Ezquerra).

 

Lamna, Cuv.

Jurassic deposits of Guadalajara (Calderon), and Tertiary of Tejares de Málaga (Orueta).

L. cornubica, Cuv.—Alcoy (Ezquerra).

 

Pristis, Lath.

Tejares de Málaga (Orueta).

 

Discussion.

Prof. Duncan remarked that the presence of Sivatherium and Hyænarctos in Spain, if confirmed, would be particularly interesting, as showing a great western extension of the Sivalik fauna. He suggested that there was an error in the statement that Elephas armeniacus occurred in the valley of Madrid, and thought that the species would prove to be E. africanus. He also suggested that E. armeniacus was not really a distinct species, but that it and E. namadicus were merely local forms of E. antiquus.

Prof. Busk said that most of the animals the bones of which are so numerous at Gibraltar appear to have migrated from the south. He thought that there was probably some mistake as to the species of Elephants, and doubted whether remains of the Mammoth had ever occurred in Spain. He added that the bone which had been thought to belong to Sivatherium was an astragalus, and that it was chiefly, he thought, on account of its size that Dr. Falconer suggested such an identification.

Mr. Charlesworth stated that he had obtained from the Crag a tooth which had been pronounced by Mr. W. Davies, of the British Museum, to come nearest to that of Hyænarctos among known Mammalia, and remarked that this seemed to confirm the extension westward of that type of animals.

Dr. A. Leith Adams stated that molars of Elephas primigenius from caves in the zinc-mines at Santander had been brought to his notice. He doubted whether E. africanus had been found fossil. Dr. Falconer finally regarded Elephas priscus as a variety of E. antiquus. Many teeth, with thick plates, were found in the caves of Palermo; and these were clearly of E. antiquus; the Spanish specimens required confirmation. He confirmed the President's suggestion that Elephas namadicus was identical with E. antiquus.

Dr. Murie was doubtful about the identification of the fossil supposed to indicate Sivatherium, The specimen nor being a bone of the head, there was a great chance of error.

1. Coup d'œil sur la constitution géologique de plusieurs provinces de l'Espagne. Paris: 1852.
2. Bull. de la Soc. Géol. de France, vol. x.
3. See my 'Reseña geologica de la provincia do Guadalajara,' Madrid, 1874.
4. Areitio, "Materiales para la flora fosil Española," Ann. de la Soe. Españ. de Hist. Nat. t. ii. 1873.
5. Vilanova, Manual de Geol. Madrid, 1871.
6. Ann. de la Soc. Españ. de Hist. nat., t. ii. Actas.
7. Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxi. p. 364.
8. Origen, naturaleza y antiguëdad del hombre. Madrid, 1872.
9. The 'Commission of the Geological Map of Spain' possesses remains of other species, a list of which will appear shortly in the 'Bulletin.'