^T. 47.] ANTIQUITY OF MAN. 127 



4. That the period was a late geological one, and anterior to 

 the surface assuming its present outline, so far as some 

 of its minor features are concerned. 



He does not, however, consider that the facts as they at present 

 stand of necessity carry back man in past time more than they 

 bring forward the great extinct mammals towards our own 

 time, the evidence having reference only to relative and not 

 to absolute time ; and he is of opinion that many of the later 

 geological changes may have been sudden, or of shorter duration 

 than generally considered. In fact, from the evidence here ex- 

 hibited, and from all that he knows regarding Drift phenomena 

 generally, the author sees no reason against the conclusion that 

 this period of man and the extinct mammalia supposing their 

 contemporaneity to be proved was brought to a sudden end by 

 a temporary inundation of the land : on the contrary, he sees 

 much to support such a view on purely geological considerations. 



Before writing this paper, Prestwich, together with 

 Mr Evans, had made a searching examination of the 

 flints and gravels of Amiens as well as of Abbeville. 

 Both being experts in different departments one from 

 his practical knowledge of geology, especially of the 

 more recent deposits, and the other holding the fore- 

 most rank in archaeology their joint opinion carried 

 great weight. Thus when their belief became public, 

 that M. de Perthes had made an important discovery, 

 and that a large proportion of the flint implements in 

 his collection were what he had claimed them to be, 

 men of science on both sides of the Channel cast away 

 their doubts and unbelief. Geologists hastened to 

 Abbeville to give their congratulations to M. Boucher 

 de Perthes, whose letters of this date, addressed to 

 Falconer and to Prestwich, are expressive of lively 

 gratitude. This gratitude, however, had previously 

 been tempered. It devolved on his English friends 

 to point out to M. de Perthes several spurious flint 



