Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlvi. (1901), No. % 3 



and forms. Their forms are fairly j^ermanent, and, in 

 general terms, often appear to distinguish the successive 

 beds, and, no doubt, the succeeding races of makers. 



It is with these stone implements that we are con- 

 cerned at present. They arc in truth the fossil records 

 of the thought and development of successive races (jf 

 men, and are thus of singular interest to us all. They 

 arc found often in considerable abundance amongst the 

 drift or gravels of the district. These river-gravel 

 iinplcinciits e.\hibit definite marks of successive advance 

 in conception, execution, and, no doubt, application. In 

 connection with similar observations in other countries, 

 they have been rudely classified as " paheolithic," i.e., 

 stones of the older sort, and " neolithic," those of a newer 

 order. Tiie latter exhibit a certain improvement as to 

 workmanship, form and application, advancing from 

 rude flaking or chipping in the nameless forms of 

 older times to the highly-finished and polished axes, 

 chisels, spear-heads, and arrow-points of races of the 

 age immediately preceding our own, or perhaps, even 

 extending within historical limits. 



It will be in the recollection of man)- of us that a 

 little more than 40 years ago Sir John Evans and the late 

 Sir Joseph Prcstwich announced to the English public, 

 and not only so, but vindicated to the scientific world of 

 the day, the fact that an enthusiastic Ercnch Geologist 

 had really discoveretl, amongst the gravel beds near the 

 mouth of the River Somme at Abbeville, stones mani- 

 festly worked by tiie hand of man, in immediate 

 conjunction with the remains of rhinoceroses, ele]Dhants 

 and other extinct animals. 



It was in 1847 that M. Boucher de I^erthes published 

 his book on " Antiquites celtiques et antediluviennes," 

 in which he stated and showed, with many illustrations 



