340 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



f 



by a talus of about 7 feet, were found a bone harpoon, and 

 remains of the horse and red deer. He would not hazard any 

 theory as to the period of the early occupation thus indicated, but 

 a conjecture might be made on this foundation. The talus of 2 

 feet which covered the Roman strata might be taken as represent- 

 ing 1,200 years of accumulation; and if the talus between the 

 Roman and the earlier deposit accumulated at the same rate, the 

 period of the deposit might be fixed at between 5,000 and 6,000 

 years ago. This calculation might, however, be disturbed by 

 various climatic influences, which might hasten or extend the 

 period of the accumulation of the 7 feet talus. There was yet a 

 third layer, in which no human remains, or remains of cattle, had 

 been found, but this part of the investigation had not yet been 

 completed. 



Professor Bush threw some doubt on Mr. Dawkins' calculation 

 as to the date of the early occupation of the cave, and suggested 

 that the upper talus, instead of increasing in thickness, had 

 actually been partly cleared away by the action of the weather. 



After some remarks by Mr. J. Plant, Manchester, Sir John 

 Lubbock replies to Professor Bush, contending that the climatic 

 influences prevailing in the locality since the time of the Romans 

 could not have been such as to diminish the upper talus. He 

 thought, however, Mr. Dawkins' calculation could not be trusted, 

 because, although the date of his coins could be fixed, there was 

 no evidence to show at what time they were imbedded. He also 

 thought it exceedingly likely that the lower talus had been 

 deposited much more rapidly than the upper talus, inasmuch as 

 the action of the weather was very much more rapid during the 

 first few centuries of the exposure of rocks, and the surface rough- 

 nesses fell in much greater quantity than after they became smooth 

 and weather-worn. 



HARBORS OF INDIA. 



Captain Taylor, late of the Royal Indian Navy, at the meeting 

 of the British Association, communicated a paper on " The Har- 

 bors of India. 1 ' He pointed out that the opening of the Suez Canal 

 made it more than ever important that the harbors of India should 

 be carefully surveyed and improved, especially in the neighbor- 

 hood of the cotton-growing districts. Kurrachee he considered 

 the Port Said of India, and the government should carry out 

 promptly certain improvements required to make it safe and prac- 

 ticable. Poshetra and Seraia were sheltered from all winds, and 

 capable of receiving even the Great Eastern at any state of the 

 tide. -They require lights and beacons. Several ports in the 

 Gulf of Cambay required improvement to render them suitable for 

 the shipment of cotton. Wet docks were" wanted at Bombay. 

 Southwards of Bombay were places very suitable for harbors. 

 Canals should also be constructed to connect the various rivers 

 along the eastern coast. In conclusion, Captain Taylor held that 

 everybody in England was personally and deeply interested in the 

 development of the resources of India by means of improved har- 



