GEOGRAPHY AND ANTIQUITIES. 341 



used after the introduction of bronze. But this by no means 

 proves that all perforated stone implements are to be referred to 

 this period, and the present number of the "Archiv fiir Anthro- 

 pologic " contains a paper by Rau, showing the mode in which 

 they might be formed before a knowledge of bronze existed. M. 

 Ran considers that the holes were made in two ways, or perhaps 

 b)^ means of two different borers. The more highly finished holes 

 are of equal diameter throughout, and present a smooth surface, 

 and exhibit at short distances from each other a succession of cir- 

 cular grooves. Such perforations as these, he thinks, were effected 

 by means of a hollow cylinder of bronze. But there is another 

 kind of perforation, the surface of which is more or less smooth, 

 but which is not marked by the lines or grooves above mentioned. 

 These perforations are constricted in the centre, so as to present 

 on section more or less of an hour-glass form, indicating that they 

 have been bored in from opposite sides. These, he thinks, belong 

 exclusively to the stone period. In both methods it is probable that 

 hard sand and water were employed to assist the process. His 

 view is supported by an examination of weapons in which the 

 perforations have not been completed, but carried only through a 

 portion of the thickness of the stone. In the former class of bor- 

 ings the hole on section presented somewhat of the appearance 

 that would be presented by the bottom of a champagne bottle on 

 section, the peiiphery being more deeply bored than the centre, 

 whilst, in the latter class of borings, the bottom of the depression 

 was simply rounded and rather narrower than the superficial 

 margin. M. Rau has been able to produce borings in a hard stone 

 exactly resembling those on the weapons of the stone period, with- 

 out the aid of any metallic instrument, but merel}^ by means of 

 the rounded extremity of a piece of hard wood made to rotate 

 with a bow-drill, together with a little sand and water. The stone 

 on which he experimented was a piece of diorite, so hard that a 

 Avell-tempered knife-blade only marked it with a metallic streak, 

 and of the same kind as that formerly employed, on account of its 

 combining hardness with tenacity, in the construction of various 

 weapons during the stone period, and still used for the same pur- 

 poses by the North American Indians of the present day. In 

 commencing the perforation, which required infinite patience, M. 

 Rau found it advantageous to attach a piece of wood, with a hole 

 in it, on the stone, which prevented the boring instrument from 

 f)erpetually slipping off. Two hours' severe work were required 

 to deepen the perforation by the thickness of an ordinary tracing 

 with a lead pencil, and, though with many interruptions, he was 

 fully two years in completing it. It was found requisite to add 

 fresh sand^every 5 or 6 minutes. When serpentine rock was ex- 

 perimented on the perforation was accomplished with very much 

 greater rapidity. — The Academy, Nov. 13, 18G9. 



HUMAN REMAINS FROM THE CAVE OF BRUNIQUEL. 



This cavern is situated in a limestone cliff on the north side of 

 the valley of the Aveyron, Department Tarne et Garonne. Al- 

 29* :. 



