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time at the mouth of the Nahr-el Kelb. I visited it four or five tinK^., -^ 

 and I am able to endorse a good deal that has been said with regard to the 

 remains there. There is one point I think I may throw a little light upon — 

 namely, as to the late existence and use of stone implements in Syria. la 

 the year 1879, v?hen travelling in Northern Syria, I obtained, while in the 

 neighbourhood of Aleppo, from some people in the adjacent villages who 

 had been digging a quantity of soil from one of the numerous mounds on 

 the plain for the purpose of making an addition to a mill-dam, a number of 

 stone implements. Among them was a very fine green- stone axe, which is 

 now exhibited in the Museum at Oxford. I also obtained. at the same time 

 a number of flint implements. The axe I have referred to showed signs of 

 having been used as a sacrificial implement. It exhibited a peculiar method 

 of grinding which I had never seen before, one edge being ground to a 

 sharper angle than the other, — one being the curve of a cirele, while the 

 other was a sharp angle. The implement also seemed to me to bear traces 

 of having been decorated. In Beyrout I obtained several flint implements, 

 and some other implements of a black stone, which were curved as if the 

 back part were used for polishing and the other for cutting. The existence 

 of such stones throughout the north part of the Orontes valley and about 

 Aleppo is well known. I saw half a basketful of various stone implements 

 in the house of a German gentleman. In the ruins of Carchemish, also, 

 some had been found by a German who had been there before me. But there 

 was one curious fact which seemed to me to indicate an old historic period, 

 — I allude to pieces of sculpture standing among the ruins of Carchemish, 

 and representing some figures of gods, one of which held a large battle-axe 

 in its hand, the axe being lashed to the handle, as the strapping of the 

 marking of a band vised for the purpose of tying the handle to the stone is 

 distinctly shown. It may also be remembered that in one of the lists of 

 tribute to Thotmes the Third, mention is made of axes of green stone forming 

 part of the tribute which the Hittite kings and princes of Egypt presented 

 to that monarch ; so that the use of stone axes is clearly brought down to an 

 historic period. As to the custom of cave-dwelling in Syria, we know 

 that in the interior it always has been and still continues to be a mode 

 of dwelling in the East; but it is for the geologist to say how far that 

 can be carried back. It is a singular fact that the earliest known sign 

 for a dwelling of any kind in the cuneiform inscriptions — is the figure 

 of a cave. I have no authority to speak as a geologist, as I hardly know 

 one stone from another ; but I have thought that the points I have men- 

 tioned, as bearing on other branches of study, might be deemed of interest. 

 Mr. D. Howard, V.-P. Inst. Chemistry.— I regard the paper we have heard 

 to-night as an exceedingly interesting one ; but have no desire to take up the 

 time of the meeting by making many comments thereon. It appears to me 

 that Dr. Dawson has thoroughly studied the customs of those whose habita- 

 tions we have been considering, and has not only kept a good look out in all 

 directions whence attacks might be likely to come, but has cautiously guarded 

 himself against them. Jt is very pleasant, apart from the great interest of his 



