1865.] BLACKMOEE FLINT IMPLEMENTS. 251 



thus forming a kind of buttress which separates the two valleys. 

 It is, however, separated from the main tract of high land which 

 intervenes between the two valleys by a transverse valley about 30 

 feet in depth, so that it forms, in fact, an isolated hill entirely discon- 

 nected, by valleys of greater or less depth, from any higher ground. 

 From the conformation of the valley, it must be evident to any one, 

 that when the gravel was deposited on MUford Hill the ancient 

 river must, daring the continiial variations of its course, have ex- 

 tended from Laverstock Hill on the east to Harnham Hill on the 

 west, a distance of about three miles. 



Some few years since, a good section of this drift was exposed on 

 the south-eastern side of the hill, in the cutting made for the 

 London and South- Western Railway; and here, near the base of the 

 gravel, a narrow seam of loose light- coloured sand and shells was 

 discovered. The shells in this single spot existed in the greatest 

 profusion, and, althou.gh extremely friable, were mostly entire and 

 unbroken. They consisted principally of Helix Mspkla in aU stages 

 of its growth. There were a few specimens of H. arbustorum, 

 mostly broken, two or three of Pupa muscorum, and a single indivi- 

 dual of Zua luhrica. It is rather remarkable that all these shells 

 are terrestrial, and in every way agree with examples of the same 

 species still living in the adjacent fields. 



With the single exception of a fragment of an upper molar tooth 

 of a species of Equus, no bones or Mammalian remains have as yet 

 been discovered ; and at no other point in the gravel has any seam 

 of sand with shells been found, although diligent search has been 

 made at every opening. 



There is in many places at the base of the compact gravel, rest- 

 ing upon the Chalk, an irregular deposit of pale fawn-coloured 

 chalk-rubble, containing a small admixture of flint-gravel, but no 

 organic remains. 



With regard to the implements themselves, they are, with two or 

 three exceptions, aU of the long pointed type, thus confirming the 

 opinion of Mr. Evans that this particular form is mainly character- 

 istic of the higher -level gravels. They are found scattered unevenly 

 throughout the deposit ; the majority, however, occur low down, in 

 many cases imbedded in the chalk-rubble above mentioned. 



The implements on the side of the hill are relatively only half as 

 numerous as on the top. 



The condition of the surface of the weapons varies considerably. 

 The majority are water- worn, and show evident traces of having 

 travelled some distance in very rough company, and bear marks of 

 many a hard knock and jostle by the way; others, however, have 

 the angles of the chippings as sharp and well preserved as if they 

 were made but yesterday. Some are stained of a deep yellow 

 colour, others only partially so, and some not at all. It is rather 

 remarkable that this staining does not appear to be due to their 

 present position in the gravel, as some of the darkest-coloured ones 

 have been dug out of the pale chalk-rubble side by side with frag- 

 ments of flint retaining its original hue ; and, on the other hand, 



