TRACES OF MAN FOUND IN THE ROBIN-HOOD CAVE. 257 



being acted on by water, during floods, and washed away. It was 

 not to be assumed, from the absence of any traces of man in the 

 lowermost deposit, that he did not exist in that spot at this period, 

 as he would hardly be likely to occupy dens along with the Hyaena. 

 Some of the flint implements found in the valley-gravels were of 

 extreme rudeness as compared with those of the high-level gravels, 

 though the latter were the older. Fineness of finish does not neces- 

 sarily prove more modern date, as is exemplified by the Shrub-Hill 

 implements ; but much would depend on the material, and he had 

 not yet seen Mr. Mello's specimens. 



Mr. Etheridge inquired whether the absence of coprolites from 

 these dens might not be accounted for by the cleanly habits of the 

 animals. The Carnivora, as a rule, were exceedingly cleanly in this 

 respect. 



Prof. Hughes suggested that the difference of material might be 

 explained on the supposition that the people who left the quartzite 

 implements had lived in that or some other district where quartzite 

 was the only or most common material ; while the flint was brought 

 by a tribe who came from a district where flint was abundant. The 

 rougher material did not of itself prove greater antiquity. Quartz 

 and quartzite had been used at all periods from that of the laterite 

 of India to that of the neolithic graves of Britain, and even later 

 elsewhere. So also he had found grey felstone implements in Wales 

 of neolithic as well as of palaeolithic type ; while polished weapons 

 of the same material were occasionally found in the fenlands near 

 Cambridge. 



Mr. Howarth stated that the African Hyaena does not resort to 

 caves, and he could not understand why the extinct Hyaena should 

 have done so. The remains of Hyaenas had been found in caves on 

 the banks of the Lena and Obi in Siberia ; and this led him to think 

 that possibly tho Hyaena of that period, owing to the intensity of 

 cold, was in the habit of hibernating, as the bears of cold climates 

 do at the present day. The African Hyaenas only prey on sickly 

 members of the antelope tribe ; and it therefore seemed to him doubt- 

 ful that those found in caves would have preyed on such large 

 animals as the Hhinoceros. 



The President inquired at what distance from the cave flint was 

 obtainable, and also where quartzite pebbles could be found. 



Dr. Meryon considered that the development of man was more 

 clearly proved by the progressive improvements in the manufacture 

 of his implements than by the physical formation of his skull. 



Mr. Binney stated that quartzite pebbles could be obtained within 

 seven or eight miles of the spot, whilst flints were abundant at not 

 more than about forty miles distant. 



Mr. Mello, in reply, said that quartzite pebbles occurred abun- 

 dantly in some sands near the caverns. They were probably 

 derived originally from the Bunter. The flints might have been 

 obtained at no great distance, possibly from the valley of the 

 Trent ; for some specimens were weathered, and evidently derived 

 from gravel ; others, however, were probably obtained directly from 



