PREHISTORIC MAN
105
the surface of the higher lands, and reassorted by
the river Thames, which has again left it behind
in the broader and more peaceful portions of its
course and that of its affluents, the Lea and the
Roding.
Buried with this fine brick-earth are many land
and freshwater shells and abundant remains of
land-animals, the ancient inhabitants of the country
at this early period.
These comprise, the British lion, the hyaena,
the bear, the fox, the " mammoth" (Elephas
primigenius), the last-named elephant most abund-
ant and of all ages; the straight-tusked elephant
{Elephas antiquus); three species of rhinoceros,
all, like the elephants, belonging to extinct species,
viz. R. leptorhinus, R. megarhinus, and R. an-
tiquitatis. An extinct horse, Equus fossilis; the
gigantic Irish deer (Cervus giganteus); the red-
deer or a variety of Cervus elaphus; the rein-
deer (Rangifer tarandus) ; Bison priscus; the fossil
ox, Bos primigenius (very abundant) ; the musk
ox (Ovibos moschatus); the Saiga antelope1 (Saiga
tartarica); Hippopotamus major; the pouched
marmot (Spermophilus citillus); the lemming
(Zen/mus); the Alpine or tailless hare (Lagomys
spelaeus), have also been met with. Besides the
shells of Helices, of Anodon, and Unio are countless
valves of Cyrena fluminalis, a shell no longer found
in this country, but still living in the Nile, etc.
There can be no doubt whatever that all these
animals were denizens, not only of the Thames
valley, but of the greater part of England in early
prehistoric times; nor can it be doubted that
prehistoric man, who fashioned those rude flint
implements found in the Thames valley gravels
in so many different localities, also inhabited this
country and was contemporary with this ancient
fauna, most of which are now extinct, and the
survivors are only to be met with in far distant
Arctic or continental lands. Even the geography
of the area has vastly changed, for at the time
1 Found higher up the valley at Twickenham in a similar
deposit.