GEOLOGY. 129 



At Blashenwell, I have searched in vain for satisfactory 

 traces of human remains, such as pottery. There are however, 

 scattered throughout the mass, minute pieces of a black sub- 

 stance, which presents the appearance of being burnt wood. 

 Occasional fragments of mammalian bone and teeth, have been 

 also found, two of which have proved to be those of a young 

 pig, having internal evidence of being recent, their mineral con- 

 dition being as modern as that of some of the bones thrown 

 out of a fresh dug grave. The presence of fragments of chalk 

 flints having sharp edges, may be referable to the same agency: 

 although decidedly not arrow-heads, they nevertheless are 

 nearly allied in form to many of those flint chippings which are 

 frequently found in the tumuli of the neighbourhood. 



At Arne I was unable to detect any absolute traces of human 

 agency, but nevertheless the mass presented every appearance of 

 having been collected by the hand of man, inducing the impression 

 that it must have originated in the refuse cast from a native hut. 

 There can be little doubt that the shells are recent. It has been 

 objected tliat they are perfect, that is, both valves are together as 

 during life ; but in this state they may be frequently observed 

 upon the shore, and when opened are found to be filled with sand. 

 Neither is the supposition that they were drifted to this spot whilst 

 living, in accordance with their natural habit of burying them- 

 selves in the sand or mud, an instinctive protection from the ef- 

 fects of the tides. This view of the origin of the deposit is much 

 strengthened by what has been related to me by my friend the 

 Rev. F. Fisher, who resided during several years in New Zealand. 

 He says that "pipi shells, or cockles, are foimd in large beds far 

 inland, not fossilized, but in a state of decay from lapse of time. 

 These shells, there is no doubt, are brought from the sea coast by 

 the natives: whole tribes returning from the fishing season always 

 carry back hundreds of baskets of cockles, which they consiune in 

 their inland pas or villages. The fui-ther in land, the greater treat 

 is the cockle, and so greater the refuse of empty shells. Time 

 and age and custom have produced these phsenomena: and why 

 should not the old Britons have done the same in our land ? 



JOHN H. AUSTEN. 



Since writing the above it has been pointed out to me» that Mr. Mansel 

 does not expressly name "land shells": as, however, he speaks of 

 "fragments of flint" &c., from the chalk range, 1 had mferred he woiUd 

 thus account for the land shells as well 



