July 21, 1921] 



NATURE 



649 



It is evident, if the carbon arc is to be used as a 

 standard of intensity distribution for photographic 

 spectrophotometry — and it is a • very convenient 

 standard — that its intensity distribution should be 

 very carefully determined against a laboratory black 

 body. H. H. Plaskett. 



Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, 

 Victoria, B.C., June i8. 



The Discovery of Large Quartzite implements of 

 Rostro-carinate and Early Palaeolithic Types in 

 Uganda. 



Through the kindness of Mr, E. J. Wayland, ot 

 the Geological Department, Entebbe, Uganda, I have 

 become acquainted with an important discovery, made 



he puts forward. From the numerous drawings oi 

 implements which have been sent to me, I have 

 selected five which, while being representative of the 

 majority of the implements figured, will, I think, 

 enable me to fulfil Mr. Wayland's request that I 

 should demonstrate the relationship of the Uganda 

 specimens to the sub-Crag rostro-carinates of East 

 Anglia. 



The implement illustrated in Figs. 2 and 2a is, 

 without any question, similar to many which have 

 been found in the sub-Crag detritus-bed, and exhibits 

 the characteristics of a broad, low rostro-carinate of 

 fwimitive form, in which the keel, or carina, does not 

 extend far back towards the posterior region of the 

 specimen (Fig. 2a), and the dorsal surface (Fig. 2)-is 

 composed of unflaked "cortex." Figs. 3 and 3A illus- 



N.W. 



>«tTCR.v,oRwsPFt|MgNS 



6T0NE IMPLEMENTS TO 

 IE Fowtii ON SORFJHCE 

 ftND TJ<KOUft>< ^B0OT5 

 FEE.T OF SOIL. TO "SeDROCK. 

 Ti^ESE SPECIMENS ARE 

 NOT WATEi<-V;oR^«^_l_ 



SE. 



£CR«JBJUN&Ut. 

 TJ\E RAINS) 



Fig. I.— Rough diagrammatic sections (not drawn to scale) through Msozt Hill, Sango Bay, Buddu, Uganda. 



by him in Uganda, of a considerable number of large 

 quartzite implements of rostro-carinate and Early 

 Palaeolithic types. Mr. Wayland has asked me to 

 publish my oijinion of the cultural relationship of the 

 specimens, of which he sends me drawings, to the 

 beak-shaped implements found beneath the Red Crag 

 of East Anglia, and I mav say at once that there 

 would seem to be little doubt that the latter, though 

 possibly more ancient, are clearly "related" to the 

 East African artefacts. 



The exact localities where these new discoveries 

 have been made are : (a) on the slopes and upon the 

 summit of Msozi Hill, Sango Bay, Buddu, Uganda, 

 and (b) at Kisiba, Tanganyika Territory. The accom- 

 panying diagrammatic cross-section (Fig. i), copied 

 from the drawing sent to me by Mr. Wayland, will 

 make clear the positions in which the quartzite imple- 

 ments of Msozi Hill are found, and explain their 

 discoverer's views as ta the geological age of the 

 specimens. As will be seen from an examination of 

 Fig. I, there are deposits of gravel on the slopes of 

 Msozi Hill ("Quartzite Hill " of diagram) containing 

 water-worn implements. On the summit of the hill, 

 however, no gravel occurs, but Mr. Wayland finds 

 upon the surface, and scattered through about 3 ft., 

 of the soil, which there covers the bedrock, a 

 number of specimens (of the same types as those 

 found in the gravel) which are not water-worn. He 

 observes, further, that the surface of Lake Victoria 

 (shown to the right in Fig. i) now rests at, 

 approximately. 300 ft. lower than the level at which 

 the unrolled irnplements occur, and he draws the 

 conclusion that, when the people lived who fashioned 

 the implements he has found, " Lake Victoria was 

 300 ft. above its present altitude, a state of things 

 which, according to my showing, obtained during the 

 Pleistocene Glacial period." It is thus clear that 

 Mr. Wayland regards the quartzite specimens with 

 which this letter deals as of considerable geological 

 antiquity, a conclusion which, in my judgment, 

 appears to be sound and in accord with the evidence 



NO. 2699, VOL. 107] 



trate a massive specimen— weighing approximately 

 7 J lb. — which is somewhat similar in form to the 



Figs. 2 and 2A. — Rostro-carinate 

 implement in quartzite, from 

 Uganda. 



implement just described. As will be noticed, the 

 more or less flat ventral surface, together with the 





Figs. 3 and 3A.— Massive quartzite implement 

 from Uganda, of a form transitional between 

 the rostro-carinate and the " batiform " 

 Palasolithic .specimens. 



profile of the rostro-carinate form (Fig. 3A), is re- 

 tained, but the dorsal surface (Fig. 3) is composed 



