MT. 46.] CAVERN RESEARCHES. 117 



results obtained from the excavations at Brixham were 

 of much importance. In writing to Falconer on 14th 

 September 1858, he suggests that another cavern 

 might well be explored, " such for example as one on 

 the Welsh coast, or a portion of Kent's Cavern, or 

 100 yards square of some bone-strewed surface gravel, 

 such as a section of the rich bone-bearing gravel at 

 Bedford, or Brentford, or Clacton, or Herne Bay, or 

 Bracklesham, or many others." 



The caution expressed in this next letter is char- 

 acteristic : 



/. Prestwich to H. Falconer. LONDON, 21s Septr. 1858. 



MY DEAR DR FALCONER, I have to-day read the report and 

 returned it to Earnsay. It will do very well for the London 

 Committee, or the Eoy. Soc., but for my own part I should not 

 like to have it read at the Brit. Assoc. A report of that sort 

 conies with a degree of might and authority which a short notice 

 would not have. The statement you make with regard to 

 human industrial remains is one likely to give rise to so much 

 controversy, and is one which you make so distinctly, that I 

 do not like to see it embodied in a report which may be sup- 

 posed to express the opinions of the several members of the 

 Committee, and in which I see my name introduced. 



Now, although you have so good a case with regard to occur- 

 rence and position of the worked flints, I yet hesitate to accept 

 the conclusions, and many others will probably do the same. 

 There may be possibilities of mistake which further working 

 may serve to correct, or on the other hand further workings 

 may bring to light other facts tending to prove indisputably 

 the remarkable association you allude to. 



I quite agree with you that there is now much evidence tend- 

 ing in the same direction so much that there is hope that, 

 if true, it may receive some unmistakable corroboration : but 

 until we have that, and that I have myself worked on the ground 

 and looked at all the bearings, I hesitate and wait. My dear Dr 

 Falconer, yours very truly, J. PRESTWICH. 



