303 



■bfibre us by the learned Vice-Chaucellor of McGill University. Dr. Dawson 

 has the advantage of being, ij;i a certain sense, a comparatively young geologist, 

 although an experienced man in his own country ; and he has, further had 

 the opportunity of visiting those Eastern districts of which he has spoken 

 something like a quarter of a century after the appearance of the remarkable 

 volume published by M. Boucher de Perthes, which led to a resumption of 

 the search for the relics of ancient man both in the caves and in the travels, 

 first in France and then, following up the French investigations, throughout 

 the whole world. I had the disadvantage of travelling in many of those 

 countries in which research has now been made, before M. Boucher de 

 Perthes had revived the interest felt in this subject. There was a time, lonw 

 before the discussion of his discoveries, a time known to us by the labours of 

 Cuvier, and especially by the late Dean Buckland, when it was ascertained 

 that the relics found in the caverns of various parts of Europe were among 

 the most interesting facts a geologist could possibly have to consider. But 

 a period of torpor succeeded, and for many years together our geologists and 

 naturalists did not appear to interest themselves in the further search for 

 information on this subject, even in those parts of our own country which 

 had given rise to such interesting discussions years before. At that period, 

 therefore, we learned nothing of the flint implements which now excite so 

 much interest, and paid very little attention to those ancient arts that were 

 exhibited in the cutting of stones in various ways, or to those other topics 

 which, unfortunately, I have so indiscriminately gathered from the lecture 

 of this evening. I at any rate feel this ; from what has been brought before 

 us it is evident that, although some of Dr. Dawson's statements are a 

 little startling, while others may seem rather difficult of acceptance without 

 further discussion, and others, again, may be said to be somewhat puzzling 

 to those who would like to find their explanation, yet of this we are all 

 assured, that the learned Professor is a man of so much experience in 

 geology, and has shown in so many of his books a disposition to battle fairly 

 with the facts and inferences belonging to this subject, that we may safely 

 trust what he has stated to be the truth as for as he has been able to look 

 into it. 



Professor T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S,, F.G.S. (a Visitor).— I must add my 

 thanks to those of other speakers for the remarkably interesting paper the 

 learned Doctor has laid before us. I regard the clearness with which he has 

 developed all his facts and inferences as indeed admirable. He has certainly 

 given us so much valuable matter in so short a time that I have no doubt 

 many persons who are not very well competent to follow the details, because 

 they are not quite such geologists as himself, may, perhaps, have lost some- 

 thing of his remarkably able exposition; and I hope, therefore, it will soon 

 be printed, so that all may be able more fully to understand and appreciate 

 it. May I be allowed to suggest one or two points on which we might ask 

 for some illustration ? I am sure Dr. Dawson will allow me, as an old 

 friend, to offer such criticism as I am able ; and, as he himself has found it 

 necessary to abbreviate his paper, so will I endeavour to compress into a few 



VOL. xviri. Y 



