1906-1907.] 499 



" THE STONE AGE IN SOUTH AFRICA." 



The second m,onthly meeting of the Winter Session was 

 held in the Museum on Tuesday evening, i8th December — the 

 President (Mr. W. H. Phillips) in the chain 



The preliminary science gossip half-hour was taken 

 advantage of tO' present the Club, on behalf of Mr. John H. 

 Bland, of Carnmoney (through Miss M. K. Andrews, who' very 

 kindly interested herself in the matter), with a small and 

 interesting collection of minerals and fossils, and which goes tO' 

 augment the valuable collection of minerals presented some 

 years ago by the late General Smythe, of Carnmoney, brother- 

 in-law to Mr. Bland. Mr. Robert Welch, M.R.I.A., exhibited a 

 number of specimens of Vertigo angustior, captured at Dog's 

 Bay, Roundstones, Connemara, by Mr. Arthur W. Stelfox, 

 which is the first record of such a large living colony of this 

 rare species being found in the British Islands. At eight 

 •o'clock, 



Rev. W. A. Adams, B.A., of Antrim, gave a lecture on the 

 " Stone Age in South Africa," illustrated by specimens collected 

 by the lecturer during a visit in the summer of 1905. Mr. 

 Adams said South Africa was at the present moment a rich field 

 for antiquarian research, as well as for mineral wealth. Stone 

 implements have been discovered in many parts of the country 

 showing a wonderful Hkeness to those of the older stone period 

 found in the river gravels and caves of France and the South 

 of England. Specimens were shown from Bosman's Crossing, 

 Stallenbosch, of this palaeolithic type, some of them being found 

 in situ, embedded in a clay bank, the layer containing them 

 being in some parts several feet below the surface. They are 

 roughly chipped on both faces, sometimes on one face only, 

 into pickhke implements, and in the opinion of Mr. Perinquay, 

 South African Museum, Capetown, would be used as hoes in 

 primitive agriculture. Many of these relics of a bygone age are 

 still to be found in the Kimberley district, lying on the surface 

 of the veldt, of a reddish colour, and often much weather- 

 worn ; scrapers and flakes, a simple kind of lance head, dressed 



