GEOGRAPHY, ANTIQUITIES, AND STATISTICS. 817 



ages, some remarkable contrasts are exhibited. Tlie weapons 

 and cutting instruments of the Early Iron age were invariably of 

 iron, with a high degree of finish, instead of the cast bronze 

 swords of the previous period. Bronze or brass was in use, but 

 zinc was mixed with the copper instead of tin. The use of gold 

 is common to both periods, but silver, ivory, glass, agate, and 

 porcelain beads appear first during the Iron age. The orna- 

 mentation in the Bronze age was geometrical, stiff, and monoto- 

 nous. In the Iron age it consisted of heads and figures of ani- 

 mals, human figures, stars, and often of a religious device, known 

 as the fylfot (believed to have originated in Eastern Asia). 



Considering these characteristics of the two periods, the ques- 

 tion arises whether they lead to the inference that the transition 

 from one to the other was gradual, as a result of advancing civili- 

 zation and peaceful intercourse with other nations, or whether 

 they indicate that, at the termination of the Bronze period, Den- 

 mark was invaded by a more highly civilized people. M. En- 

 gelharclt accepts the latter solution. As to the question, Who 

 were the invaders? beyond saying that the Romans never con- 

 quered Denmark, he comes to no conclusion. Quart. Journal of 

 Science, April, 1867. 



ETHNOLOGICAL SUMMARY. 



First Appearance of Man. According to M. Le Hon, the first 

 appearance of man on the earth was after the epoch of Elephas 

 metidionalis. In Europe he believes that he first appeared after the 

 diminution of the ice of the glacial period, and after the contem- 

 poraneous upheaval of that continent, migrating from Asia to the 

 newly raised countries. 



Uses of the Flint Implements. These have been generally con- 

 sidered by antiquaries as used either in war or the chase, or for 

 the peaceful occupations of agriculture. Prof. Steenstrup has 

 recently compared them with certain stone objects used by the 

 Esquimaux for the purpose of sinking their hooks in fishing, to 

 which they bear a considerable resemblance in form and propor- 

 tion. 



Lake-Dwellings of Switzerland . For an account of these, and 

 the Rock-dwellers of France, the reader is referred to the " Quar- 

 terly Journal of Science," January, 1867, pp. 79-85. 



THE COAL SUPPLY OF ENGLAND. 



Among the various questions of great economical importance 

 which have been before the public during the past year, there are 

 two on which I will make a few comments. These are the con- 

 tingency, at no remote date, of a considerable exhaustion of cer- 

 tain mineral resources in this country, and the altered position 

 which England might consequently assume, and the present con- 

 dition of what is familiarly called the money market. Attention 

 has been called by an economist, who has exhibited great re- 

 search and original thought on a number of subjects, to the rela- 



27* 



