Geological Society. 383 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



February 24tli, 1909.— Prof. W. J. Sollas, LL.D., Sc.D., F.R.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. ' Palaeolithic Implements, etc. from Hackpen Hill, "Winter- 

 bourne Bassett, and Knowle-Farm Pit (Wiltshire).' By the 

 Rev. Henry George Ommanney Kendall, M.A. 



Implements are described from the localities mentioned in the 

 title, which lie at heights of 885, 576, and 450 feet above O.D. 

 respectively. Hackpen Hill forms a ridge of Chalk running north 

 and south, capped by patches of Tertiary clay. Trimmed stones of 

 eolithic nature were obtained from fields ploughed in Drift-gravels, 

 together with abraded Upper Greensand chert, quartzite-pebbles, 

 and small flints. The greater number of the flaked stones were 

 found within and near shallow pits excavated in yellow Drift-clay, 

 apparently newer than the Red Clay with Flints, exposed at the 

 edges of the larger hollows. The implements are unabraded, 

 abraded, and striated ; some stained brown, some green, others 

 unstained ; evidently some are in situ, others were brought with 

 the Drift. Implements taken from the clay are described, and a 

 distinction is made between the palseoliths and neoliths obtaiiied 

 from the same surface. The similarity in the mineral condition 

 of the former to paloeoliths from Knowle-Farm Pit is pointed out, 

 and both are referred to the Chelleen period. 



It is noteworthy that, while implements and flakes are numerous 

 on the top of Hackpen Hill as compared with good, trimmed pieces, 

 yet at this 570-foot level on the Winterbourne-Bassett plain 

 implements and flakes are very scarce, while trimmed pieces are 

 very numerous, although the level of the Wiuterbourne stones is 

 300 feet lower. Many of the latter, however, have been evidently 

 rechipped, and are therefore of later date. The Author concludes 

 that implements of at least three palaeolithic periods are found 

 at Knowle, and these three periods may be compared with the 

 Chelleen, Lower Acheulien, and Upper Acheulien of Prof. Commont 

 at St. Acheul. Still older implements (possibly earlier Chelleen) 

 seem also to occur. 



2. ' Plant-containing Nodules from Japan, considered structurally 

 in their Relation to the " Coal-Balls " and " Roof-Nodules " of the 

 European Carboniferous.' By Marie C. Stopes, D.Sc, Ph.D. 



These nodules are of interest, because of the plant and animal 

 fossils that they contain. The plant-petrifactions are of a type 



