1884. 81 Trans. N. Y. Ac. Sci. 



Mr. G. F. KuNZ exhibited a human head, carved apparently 

 from a boulder of red sandstone, which was found on Staten 

 Island, Richmond County, N. Y., half a mile from Fort Scott, 

 one mile from South Beach, and 200 feet from the Staten Island 

 Railroad. It was found by two gardeners, buried in a blue clay, 

 under the roots of some bushes. The head shows an indentation 

 from the blow of a pick and a few other recent markings, but other- 

 wise appears to be ancient. 



He also exhibited a boulder of rock crystal from Alaska, weigh- 

 ing 3 6 kgr., which was remarkably clear and pellucid, contained 

 some fluid-cavities distinct to the eye, had a rolled surface on one 

 side, and was reported to occur in some quantity. 



The President remarked that the carved head displayed un- 

 usually good modelling, but still some features which suggested 

 the Indian countenance. Its value as an antique depended upon 

 its authenticity, in regard to which more proof was desirable. 



Dr. A. A. JuLiEN called attention to a critical note by Mr. 

 Henry W. Havnes, in the last number of the American Anti- 

 quarian (Vol. VI., No. 2, March, 1884, p. 137), with whose gen- 

 eral views he entirely agreed, but took exception to the closing 

 paragraphs : 



" But however long ago it may have been * in the dark, back- 

 ward abyss of time,' the paleolithic man, a savage hunter, armed 

 with this rude axe of roughly chipped stone, once dwelt in the 

 valley of the Nile, as well as in that of the Somme. President 

 Warren claims to have * great respect for the palaeolithic man,' and 

 can hardly find words to express his admiration for the marvellous 

 skill exhibited by him in fashioning * the prehistoric arrow-head.' 

 But unhappily, in point of fact, ' the palaeolithic man' was no more 

 capable of making a stone arrow-head than he was of building a 

 pyramid." 



In reply to the statement in the last sentence quoted. Dr. Julien 

 exhibited several specimens of chipped arrow-heads and lance- 

 heads from the lowest gravels of St. Acheul, one of which had 

 been dug out before his eyes. Such remains were not common, 

 chiefly, perhaps, from the difficulty of distinguishing objects of 

 such small size, fragile nature, and rude type among the flint- 

 nodules, but there were many such on exhibition in the museums 

 at Abbeville and Amiens, the Blackmore Museum at Salisbury, 

 6 



