1863.] PKESTWICH MOULIN QTJIGNON. 499 



bably, so much experience as ourselves of the condition of the various 

 gravel-beds, and of the Flint Implements found in them) were not so 

 much struck as we were with the exceptional characters of those 

 recently discovered at Moulin Quignon, whilst, with us, these cha- 

 racters were considered an insuperable bar to admitting them to be 

 genuine. 



Thus far on this point there was no difference of opinion amongst 

 the English members of the meeting, and with it some of the French 

 members concurred. The visit to Abbeville led to a change of 

 opinion with several, myself amongst the number. 



No notice had been given of our intended visit, and we appeared 

 on the scene quite unexpectedly. Operations were commenced at 

 seven in the morning of the 12th of May, and were continued, 

 without intermission, until five in the evening, during which time 

 some members of the meeting were always present, watching the 

 work and the workmen. The section was first cleared, and a fresh 

 vertical surface from the top down to the chalk exposed. The strata 

 appeared to be in their natural condition, and there was no ap- 

 parent derangement of the stratification, though it was a good deal 

 confused, as is common in gravel-beds, but nothing remarkable or 

 requiring notice. In the course of the day, five Flint Implements — 

 one of the old and unquestioned type, and the other four of the type 

 which we had considered spurious — were obtained. They were 

 found in the lower part of the gravel, 8 to 12 feet from the surface, 

 and on or a little above the level of the " Black Band," in which the 

 jaw had been found, and at but a short distance from that spot. 

 The finding of every specimen was witnessed by some one or other 

 cause for not accepting the authenticity of the specimens ; nor, as it 

 member of the party, although I was not so fortunate as to see one 

 discovered myself ; and, notwithstanding therefore the singular and 

 exceptional character of these Flint Implements, I saw no sufficient 

 was the unanimous conclusion that no fraud had been practised, and 

 seeing certain exceptional characters obtaining in this bed and in the 

 Human Jaw, for contesting the verdict respecting the authenticity of 

 the latter, though on this latter point I speak with reserve, especially 

 as my friends Dr. Falconer and Mr. Busk held a different opinion. 



The result of this day's inquiry led me to believe, therefore, that I 

 was mistaken in attaching undue weight to negative characters, and 

 that many of these peculiar Flint Implements were really genuine 

 specimens, thus confirming the researches and opinion of M. Boucher 

 de Perthes, M. de Quatrefages, M. l'Abbe Bourgeois, Mr. Brady, and 

 others, who had examined the section before we had, and arrived at 

 the conclusion that the Flint Implements were genuine. The lately 

 discovered specimens are generally rounded at one end, and with a 

 sharp point at the other ; there is another elongated form of a similar 

 character ; a third form is spindle-shaped, with sharp points at both 

 ends. This last is a novel form — one which I have met with no- 

 where else ; it appeared to me to furnish one independent argument 

 in favour of the authenticity of the specimens. Some are very narrow 

 compared with their length, others are broader. 



