204 president's address. 



with bones of elephants, rhinoceroses, and other extinct animals. 

 I feel convinced that we are at the commencement of some of 

 the most remarkable discoveries which have been lately made, 

 and which certainly will have a great influence upon the further 

 rapid progress of national archaeology on the whole, and also 

 upon its emancipation from old and new prejudices, and from so- 

 called historical theories." Professor Worsaae's communication, 

 Mr. Mennell remarked, completes and satisfies almost all the 

 observations and inquiries of the writers previously quoted. 

 " You have before you," he added, " specimens of implements 

 from the gravel beds of Abbeville — from the more recent peat- 

 beds — and, by the kindness of Mr. Kell, we have also the means 

 of comparing them with the ordinary celts of the stone period 

 of antiquaries. Mr. George Lyall, of South Shields, has also 

 been kind enough to bring with him the implements recently 

 found by Mr. Thompson, of Jarrow. These, however, having 

 probably come with the ballast there deposited, we cannot build 

 any theories upon them." 



At the close of Mr. Mennell's interesting paper (of which I 

 have given but a meagre abridgment), there was much applause. 



Mr. Howse, of South Shields, concurred in the suggestion, 

 that the Jarrow flints had come oversea with ballast. He was 

 the more inclined to this supposition by his discovery in ballast, 

 from time to time, of fossils, specimens of which he now pro- 

 duced — species of the genera Spatangus, Ananchytes, and Siphonia 

 (a sponge) — having been brought over, as he believed, from the 

 north of France. Echini^ he added, were often found in the 

 ancient barrows, and may have been used as missiles. 



Eight new members were elected on this occasion. 



Our Third Evening Meeting was held on Thursday, the 22nd 

 February, when Mr. Clapham* read his paper on the natural 

 formation of sulphur, and Mr. Brady his on the Foraminifera. 



Of Mr. H. B. Brady's paper the following is a brief summary : 

 — Physiologists (he said) are accustomed to classify vital 

 functions under three heads — those pertaining to Nutrition, 



* As Mr. Clapham's paper will be printed in our " Transactions," an epitome of it is 

 unnecessary here. 



