TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 155 
diorite, though invariably observed amongst sandstone strata, have been brought 
over the mountains and through the valleys of these apparently impassable Andes, 
The modus operandi of such transport is as yet an insoluble problem. One of the 
rock graves is described as fashioned in the shape of an egg (cut crossways), the 
upper part serving as a lid to cover the body when deposited within. The author 
concludes that, until a better system shall be adopted of examining ruins of burial- 
grounds, mounds, and fortresses than has hitherto prevailed, the most we can learn 
of prehistoric Peru will be little better than guesswork, dreaming, and speculation. 
The paper touched on the hyperbolical stories about Peruvian gold (rich though 
the country is in minerals), on the ancient navigation by Aalsas, and the wonderful 
works in art and manufacture of the early Peruvians :—“ One of these primary tribes 
_of people who, leaving no chronicle or history behind them but their works, have 
gradually disappeared from the face of the earth by some of those mysterious and 
inscrutable laws which Divine Providence dispenses for the rise and fall of the 
races of mankind.” The author added that in the ‘ Guide to Belfast’ compiled by 
members of the Belfast Naturalists’ Field-Club for the use of members of the 
British Association, the following statement was made at page 194, under the head 
of “Sepulchral Monuments :”—‘ The popular idea is that all or nearly all the old 
forts were constructed by the Danes; but this is quite erroneous. The greater 
number of our ancient national monuments were erected hundreds of years before 
the landing of the Danes in Ireland.” Just such a popular and erroneous idea as 
this existed in Peru with reference to the great works there being accredited to the 
Incas, whereas they were daily finding out that they were erected, like the Irish 
forts and mounds, hundreds if not thousands of years before there was an Inca in 
the land. He added that the process of inhumation used in prehistoric times in 
Treland seemed to have been the same as in Peru. 
A Glimpse of Prehistoric Times in the North of Ireland. 
By Wr11aM James Know zs. 
In many parts of the north of Ireland, especially along the sea-coast, quantities 
of flint flakes are found, collected together or lying scattered about, supposed to be 
the remains of flint-implement manufactories. Recently there have been found by 
the author at Portstewart, co. Derry, mixed up with such flakes, between 500 
and 600 manufactured articles, such as scrapers, arrowheads, &c., together with 
fragments of broken pottery, numerous bones and teeth of horse, ox, dog, &c., and 
shells mostly of the same species as are now found along the sea-shore in that 
neighbourhood. The objects are found in pits excavated by the wind among sand- 
hills about a mile from Portstewart, and near the mouth of the River Bann, and 
have fallen to the bottom of those pits out of blackened layers seen on the sides. 
These blackened layers represent the ancient surface at the time the place was 
occupied by the prehistoric races, and are now covered over with sand from about 
10 to 30 feet in thickness. The wind removes the sand as the sides of the pits 
crumble down, leaving the flakes, manufactured articles, teeth, and bones in the 
bottom. Scrapers amount to about 60 per cent. of the manufactured articles, 
arrowheads only 2 per cent.; and the great preponderance of scrapers and paucity of 
arrowheads was accounted for on the grounds that scrapers were easier of manu- 
facture than arrowheads, and flakes suitable for the manufacture of the one were 
more abundant than those that would do for the other. Besides, scrapers would 
likely be employed in the preparation of skins for clothing; and that being a home 
operation many of them would be found, while arrowheads would be used at a 
distance, and therefore would not be so likely to be found near the place of manu- 
facture. Several scrapers with concave scraping-edges were found, and are supposed. 
to have been used in stripping bark off young branches for the purpose of curing 
skins, or for touching up portions of the skin after being gone over by the scraper 
by laying it over the finger. A number of hammer-stones of quartzite, two flat 
circular stones with ‘holes in the centre, one whole but very pore stone celt, and a 
portion of a broken one were found; but it is rather remarkable that no trace of 
any thing resembling a flint axe was found in a place where flakes, cores, and manu- 
