TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION HE, 563 
able conditions. While it is, perhaps, too much to expect that all explorations 
of this character should be carried through with the same minute attention to 
detail that characterises General Pitt-Ltivers’s diggings, yet his memoirs should 
be thoroughly studied before any work of the same kind is entered upon, and 
should be kept before the mind as the ideal to be attained. It is not too much to 
say that a diligent study of the works of the two foremost explorers of pre- 
historic remains in this country—Canon Greenwell and General Pitt-Rivers—will 
of itself suffice to qualify any intelligent -antiquary to conduct the exploration of 
any like remains. At the same time, it must not be forgotten that exploration is 
one thing and a useful record of it is another, and here the explorer would do well 
to invite the co-operation of specialists if he would get the full value out of his 
work, and there is generally little difficulty in getting such help. 
I have ventured to point out, in moderate terms, the dangers to which a large 
number of our prehistoric sites are liable, and to state under what conditions they 
should be investigated. It is not unreasonable to expect, if the danger is so 
obyious, that a remedy should be forthcoming to meet it. In most of the Con- 
tinental States it would be easy to institute a scheme of State control by which 
such sites would vest in the Government to just such an extent as would be 
_necessary to prevent their being destroyed, and such a scheme might be cheerfully 
accepted and applied with success in any country but our own. Here, however 
we are so accustomed to rely upon individual influence and exertion in matters of 
this kind that an appeal to the Government is scarcely thought of ; while, on the 
other hand, the rights of property are fortunately so safeguarded by our tradition 
and law that nothing but a futile Act of Parliament would have the least chance 
of passing. Moreover, experience teaches us that it is not to State control that 
we must look, The Ancient Monuments Bill, which was intended to protect a 
special class of monuments, and was framed with a full regard to the rights of 
owners, still stands in the Statute Book, but for years past it has had no effective 
value whatever. That being so, we must look to private organisations, and 
preferably to those already in existence, for some effectual moral influence and con- 
trol, and, in my judgment, the appeal could best be made to the local scientific 
societies. Many of these are very active in their operations, and could well bear 
an addition to their labours ; others, less active, might become more energetic if they 
had a definite programme. The plan I would propose is this :—Each society should 
record on the large scale Ordnance map every tumulus or earthwork within the 
county, and at the same time keep a register of the sites with numbers referring to the 
map, and in this register should be noted the names of the owner and tenant of the 
property, as well as any details which would be of use in exploring thetumuli. Iam 
well aware that a survey of this kind has been begun by the Society of Antiquaries of 
London, and is still in progress; but this is of a far more comprehensive character, 
and is, moreover, primarily intended for publication. The more limited survey I 
now advocate would in no way interfere with it, but, on the contrary, would provide 
material for the other larger scheme. Once the local society is in possession of 
the necessary information just referred to, it would be the duty of its executive to 
exercise a beneficent control over any operations affecting the tumuli, and it may 
safely be said that such control could in no way be brought to bear so easily and 
effectively as through a local society. 
Some of the arguments in favour of some such protection for our unconsidered 
ancient monuments have been already briefly stated, and, in conclusion, I would 
only urge this in their favour, that while the more beauti‘ul monuments of later and 
historic times are but little likely to want defenders, the less attractive early 
remains are apt to disappear not so much from want of appreciation as from want 
of knowledge, and I would repeat that it is from them alone that we can reconsti- 
tute the life-story of those ho lived in what we may, with truth, call our dark 
ages. 
2 I will now ask you to turn your attention to another matter in which it seems 
to me that this country has opportunities of an unusually favourable kind. I reter 
to the collection of anthropological material from races which still remain in a 
fairly primitive state. It is somewhat trite to allude to the extent of our Empire 
