2q8 Notes and Comments. 



{Delphinns delphis) and the Bottlc-noscd Dolphin {Tursiops 

 trtincatus), other visitors which were common in igiS, have 

 also been infrequent. The occurrence of a large school, 

 estimated at loo individuals, of the White-sided Dolphin 

 {Lagenorhynchus acntiis) in the Shetland Islands, in July, 

 igig, is of interest, while there are two records of Risso's 

 Dolphin {Grampus griseus). 



THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



Accompanying a view of the British Museum from the air, 

 in a Sunday paper recently, is the information that the Museum 

 contains ' fine collections of ancient sculpture and antique 

 objects of interest. Specimens of early printed books and 

 manuscripts may be found in abundance.' Such publicity 

 must be gratifying to Sir Frederic Kenyon and the principal 

 trustees; also to know that the exhibits are 'of interest.' It 

 might almost give one the impression that the writer of the 

 note, though a London journalist, had been in the British 

 Museum, and got out again. 



THE ABBEVILLE JAW. 



In a series of amusing and interesting reminiscences 

 recently published,* Mr. Henry Keeping gives the following 

 story : — ' In 1862 I paid a visit to France under the following 

 interesting circumstances. A French geologist, M. Boucher 

 de Perthes, described a fragment of a human jawbone and a 

 number of flint implements as having been found in a gravel- 

 pit at Moulin Ouignon, near Abbeville. It was believed by 

 him that they were both of the same age and were genuine, 

 and had actually been found buried in the same gravel from 

 which the workmen stated they had got them. Our English 

 geologists, however, doubted the genuineness of the imple- 

 ments and their occurrence with the jaw ; and accordingly 

 Dr. (afterwards Sir John) Evans and Prof, (afterwards Sir 

 Joseph) Prestwich, who were the most sceptical, asked the 

 French Geological Society to allow them to send over a 

 trustworthy Englishman to investigate the whole matter. I 

 had the honour of being chosen for this mission, of which a 

 full account was given in the Athencsum. Journal for 1863. 

 Sir Charles Lyell also, in the third edition of his book on 

 the Antiquity of Man, states that my investigations proved 

 that most of the implements were forgeries, and together 

 with the broken jawbone had been cleverly buried in the 

 gravel by the workmen to deceive the credulous. The whole 

 controversy about this Abbeville human jaw is related in the 

 " Life of Sir Joseph Prestwich." jniblished in 1899.' 



* " Reminiscences of My Life,' 2nd edition, 2/6, post free, from the 

 author, i() Aylcstone Road, Cambridge. 



Naturalist 



