[Illustration:  Fig. 268.—­Skull of Ursus spelpeus.  Post-Pliocene, Europe.  One-sixth of the natural size.]

Whilst herbivorous animals abounded during the Post-Pliocene, we have ample evidence of the coexistence with them of a number of Carnivorous forms, both in the New and the Old World.  The Bears are represented in Europe by at least three species, two of which—­namely, the great Grizzly Bear (Ursus ferox) and the smaller Brown Bear (Ursus arctos)—­are in existence at the present day.  The third species is the celebrated Cave-bear (Ursus speloeus, fig. 268), which is now extinct.  The Cave-bear exceeded in its dimensions the largest of modern Bears; and its remains, as its name implies; have been found mainly in cavern-deposits.  Enormous numbers of this large and ferocious species must have lived in Europe in Post-Glacial times; and that they survived into the human period, is clearly shown by the common association of their bones with the implements of man.  They are occasionally accompanied by the remains of a Glutton (the Gulo speloeus), which does not appear to be really separable from the existing Wolverine or Glutton of northern regions (the Gulo luscus).  In addition, we meet with the bones of the Wolf, Fox, Weasel, Otter, Badger, Wild Cat, Panther, Hyaena, and Lion, &c., together with the extinct Machairodus or “Sabre-toothed Tiger.”  The only two of these that deserve further mention are the Hyaena and the Lion.  The Cave-hyaena (Hyoena speloea, fig. 269) is regarded by high authorities as nothing more than a variety of the living Spotted Hyaena (H.  Crocuta) of South Africa.  This well-known species inhabited Britain and a considerable portion of Europe during a large part of the Post-Pliocene period; and its remains often occur in great abundance.  Indeed, some caves, such as the Kirkdale Cavern in Yorkshire, were dens inhabited during long periods by these animals, and thus contain the remains of numerous individuals and of successive generations of Hyaenas, together with innumerable gnawed and bitten bones of their prey.  That the Cave-hyaena was a contemporary with Man in Western Europe during Post-Glacial times is shown beyond a doubt by the common association of its bones with human implements.

[Illustration:  Fig. 269.—­Skull of Hyoena speloea, one-fourth of the natural size.  Post-Phocene, Europe.]

Lastly, the so-called Cave-lion (Felis speloea), long supposed to be a distinct species, has been shown to be nothing more than a large variety of the existing Lion (Felis leo).  This animal inhabited Britain and Western Europe in times posterior to the Glacial period, and was a contemporary of the Cave-hyaena, Cave-bear, Woolly Rhinoceros, and Mammoth.  The Cave-lion also unquestionably survived into the earlier portion of the human period in Europe.