126 A SUPPOSED NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT. 



The bones, which bear artificially-made markings,* are the lower jaws o 

 a small ox, probably Bos longifyuns. 



A single tooth of badger (?) was found at the same level in the cutting. 



A remarkably fine horn of the great elk, Cerviis megaceros, was also found 

 in association with these bones." 



And, as sections in alluvium are rare, it may be well to add, 

 from the same Memoir, p. 73 : — 



"Mr. Dalton notes that where the Rivenhall Brook passes under the rail- 

 way N.E. of Witham the alluvium consists in part of alternate beds of peat 

 and calcareous tufa, full of shells ; and that similar tufaceous deposits occur in 

 the neighbourhood at swampy spots on the shell-marl and on Boulder Clay." 



Geological Sections in soft sands, gravels, and clays, like 

 those which cover almost the whole of Essex, are liable to 

 become almost valueless in the course of a few months, or even 

 weeks. We may well, therefore, congratulate ourselves on the 

 presence at Braintree of so keen and constant an observer as 

 Mr. Ken worthy. 



NOTE. 



Mv omission to mention the " Westleton Beds " as existing 

 in the neighbourhood of Braintree may, perhaps, be noticed. 

 My object has been simply to avoid confusion. The beds 

 already touched upon comprise all those manifestly existing in 

 the district. It is possible that, had we much more geological 

 evidence than is at present available, we might class some of 

 the sand and gravel, now mapped as Glacial, with the somewhat 

 older Westleton Beds. But looking at the great variability, in 

 this and other parts of Essex, of what has al\va\s been classed 

 as Glacial gravel, it appears to me that the evidence now exist- 

 ing would not warrant any division between Glacial gravel and 

 Westleton Beds about Braintree, as a matter of evident fact, 

 even if we concede the probable truth of Sir Joseph Prestwich's 

 general view. 



Those interested in the Westleton Beds and their distribu- 

 tion are referred to Sir Joseph Prestwich's paper on the subject. 

 Quart. Joiivii. Geol. Soc, vol Ixvi., pp. (S4--181 (i8go). A short 

 review of the above paper liy the present writer appears in the 

 Essex Natur.'XList, vol. iv., p. 100 (1890). 



* " Made bv implements of flint." 



