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and gentlemen. At the conclusion, a heai+y vote of thanks was 

 accorded to Professor Owen for his most interesting and instructive 

 Lecture. The pai-ty was then conducted through the galleries of 

 the library of the Museum, and the airangements for the distribution 

 of the books to readers were explained by IMr. BiTLLEN, Keeper of 

 the Piinted Books. 



NOVEMBER 4th. 



Ml-. F. W. EuDLER, F.G.S., Registrar of the Royal School of 

 Mines, and Curator of the Museum of Practical Geology, gave a lecture 

 on "Prehistoric Man." He explained at the outset that the term 

 "prehistoric" was introduced by Dr. Daniel Wilson, and may be 

 conveniently employed to designate everything prior to the com- 

 mencement of history. Hence its meaning varies in different 

 countries, according to the date at which authentic documentary 

 evidence commences. In this country, everything may be termed 

 prehistoric which is earher than the Roman invasion. Caesar found 

 here a people acquainted with the use of iron, and therefore possess- 

 ing considerable metallurgical skill. But it is believed that the use 

 of iron had not been long known, and that the ancient Britons had 

 only just entered upon their " iron age." Prior to the use of iron, the 

 weapons and implements which were made of metal were cast in bronze, 

 indicating that phase of civilization known as the "bronze age." 

 The bronze-using folk generally burned their dead, and preserved 

 their ashes in sepulchral urns of rude pottery, which were bmied 

 under mounds of earth called " barrows " or " tumuli." If the burial 

 mounds consist of stone, they are teimed "cairns." In addition to 

 the cinerary urns, these barrows often contain smaller vessels, which 

 probably held offerings of food and diink to the spirit of the 

 departed. There are also found small vessels known as " incense- 

 cups," but regarded by Mr. Jewitt as "immolation m-ns," since they 

 often contained the calcined bones of children. The barrows raised 

 duiing the bronze age are generally of cii'cular fonn, but others are 

 of elongated shape, and are consequently called "long barrows." 

 These are supposed to contfiin the relics of a move ancient race, who 



