TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 151 



ciated ; proximity does not of necessity imply (although it may suggest) contem- 

 poraneity, at least not in deposits of this character. The animal remains were 

 undoubtedly transported from some distance, together with the gravel in which 

 they are now found, whereas, from various indications which the author specified, 

 it seemed e\ddent that the implements were manufactured from stone taken /ro?ft 

 tJiat gravel, and at that time lying exposed upon the sm'face. 



In order to show that the implements of the Drift were of far greater variety in 

 form and use, and much better workmanship than those of later times, Mr. Flower 

 exhibited a large series, showing sixteen or eighteen distinct forms ; and as evi- 

 dencing the palffiontological distinction between the Drift- and the Cave-periods, 

 he stated that while the former contained, so far as at present known with cer- 

 tainty, only six genera and seven species, the latter exhibited fourteen additional 

 species, comprising the important forms of Hysena, Wolf, Lion, Badger, Elk, and 

 Hare, and thus exhibiting (with one somewhat doubtful exception, that of the 

 Cave-bear) the first appearance of Carnivora amongst the postglacial mammals. 



INIr. Flower then adverted to the entire absence from the Drift of any works of 

 art other than the implements, whilst the Caves presented numerous forms of 

 weapons and tools in bone as well as in stone and niut, only one of which could 

 be said to agi'ee with a Drift form ; and he added that the Tumulus- or Barrow- 

 period, which he considered was the next distinct Stone-period in order of time 

 in England, was separated from that of the Caves by an interval of vast duration, 

 as indicated by the entire disappearance of the Carnivora and Pachj'dermata found 

 in the caves, and the introduction, by creation (or as some might say by evolu- 

 tion), of a Fauna almost entirely new, comprising almost all our domestic animals, 

 and in addition the use of bronze, jet, and amber, and other objects indicative of 

 a gi-eat advance in civilization. 



In conclusion the author expressed his opinion that inasmuch as bronze was 

 certainly in use at the same time with the stone implements of both the Palaeo- 

 lithic and Neolithic types, as evidenced by its presence as well in Celtic tumuli as 

 in the megalithic monuments of presumably later date, it could not properly be 

 regarded as posterior to either of them, or as representing any distinct epoch; 

 and as regarded the Stone-period, he suggested that what had been known as 

 the Palajolithic might properly be classified under three heads, viz. Palceolithic, 

 to be confined to implements and tools of the Drift ; Archaic for the Bone-cave 

 objects, and those of like date found on the surface, while the term Prehistoric 

 might be used to designate the rude stone flakes and knives &c. found in the 

 barrows ; the term Neolithic might be applied to all the polished or ground stone 

 implements, while the term Bronze might be regarded as common to both that and 

 the Archaic period, rather than as representing any distinct era. 



On Centenarian Lonf/evit(/. By Sir Duncan Gibb., Burt., M.D. 



His observations had reference to the physical condition of centenarians, which 

 helped to show how they were enabled to reach such a great age. They were 

 derived ti'om a comparison of fom- genuine examples he had himself seen. These 

 he hoped to raise to six in a few days by a visit to two others near Edinburgh. Of 

 the four, two were males, each 103 years of age, and two females, aged 101 and 

 102 ; the last of the fom- was still alive. Regarding their age there was no doubt ; 

 for he had been as careful on that point as any believer in the questionable asser- 

 tion of Sir George Cornewall Lewis that no one ever reached a himdred years. 

 Tlie author found in all four the functions of breathing and circulation performed 

 with the most complete and perfect integrity, there being an absence even of those 

 changes usually seen as the result of ordinary old age. The chest was well formed 

 and of fairly good capacity ; the cartilages of the ribs were not ossified ; the voice 

 was good, clear, sonorous, and powerful, though a little cracked and tremulous in 

 two — its power depending upon the capacity of the chest and integrity of the 

 lungs. The heart (the great organ of the circulation) was quite healthy, and free 

 from the chief sources of trouble in old persons — namely, fat or its compounds. 

 This circumstance, although it did not pi'event moderate calcification of the blood- 



