ce, where the temperature is uniform all the year
round. In one of the caves of Mount Rouge there are no less than six or
seven miles of mushroom bedding. Among the wonders of the subterranean
world must be classed the bone caves of Europe and other parts of the
world. In some caves in England, the bones of a prodigious bear have
been found, and many hundreds of those of a hyena, considerably larger
and more formidable than those existing in Africa. Besides the bear and
hyena, upwards of a hundred species of extinct animals have been found
in the ossiferous caves of Great Britain, among them being those of the
elephant and a rhinoceros. Though in Europe bone caves contain the
remains of animals very different from those now existing in the same
regions, yet in the caves of Brazil extinct species of nearly all the
territorial quadrupeds now inhabiting this region occur. The Australian
caverns contain fossil bones of a large extinct kangaroo. In New
Zealand the wingless apteryx is still found in the wilds, and the caves
of that country show us that it was preceded by other wingless birds of
gigantic stature; among them the moa, which, when alive, must have stood
about thirteen or fourteen feet high. A complete leg of the bird has
been discovered six feet in length, and portions of the eggs show that
they had been about 6 or 7 inches diameter.

CHAPTER TEN.

ARRANGEMENTS OF THE MINES.

In Germany mining operations are carried on in the most systematic
manner. Miners are dressed as their ancestors were hundreds of years
ago, and they cling pertinaciously to their ancient usages. In some
workings prayers are offered up, led by the engineer, before the miners
descend to their work, while they stand grouped round him at the opening
of the mine, a custom which might well be adopted in our own country.
The German miner retains also the superstitions of his forefathers, and
still believes in the genii of the mines, named Nickel and Kobald, after
whom he has called two metals, nickel and cobalt, originally discovered
in the mines of Saxony.

The Germans have introduced into their mines a regular military system,
and the engineers, who are denominated captains, wear when in full dress
a uniform of a very military appearance, set off by epaulets and gold
embroidery. Not inferior to them, however, are the Cornish miners,
their captains being those who have risen by their industry and
intelligence from the lowest to