524 ME. E. T. NEWTON ON FOSSIL HUMAN EEMAINS [Aug. 1895, 



whatever of this being an interment : and the two observers who 

 saw the bones in situ are perfectly satisfied that the remains were 

 deposited with the gravel and not as a subsequent burial. 



The rarity of bones in these high-level gravels suggests the 

 possibility of their having been removed by the continued percolation 

 of water during the long period which has elapsed since they were 

 deposited. It still further suggests that, if any human bones had 

 been deposited with the gravel in Palaeolithic times, they would long 

 since have disappeared. However, bones of certain extinct mammals, 

 Elephas, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, and Felis ho, have occasionally 

 been found, although generally in a much decayed condition, and 

 the circumstances, sufficiently favourable for their preservation, 

 may have obtained in other places also. Indeed it is clear from 

 Mr. Elliott's letter, and from my own observation in the pit, that 

 patches of more clayey deposit do here and there occur, one such 

 having been noticed very near where the skeleton was found. 



The statements made by Mr. Elliott and Mr. Heys as to the undis- 

 turbed condition of the gravel above the skeleton, when it was first 

 found, and which they saw in situ, are the most important pieces of 

 evidence, as to the age of the remains, which it is now possible to 

 obtain ; and it is much to be regretted that the observations of these 

 gentlemen were not at the time confirmed by some geologist 

 experienced in the study of Pleistocene deposits. 



Impressed with the desirability of this discovery being per- 

 manently recorded, and feeling that the interest of it will depend 

 upon the establishment of the geological age of the remains, I have 

 ventured to bring this paper before the Geological Society, where the 

 points at issue will be best understood and most freely criticized ; 

 but, if Mr. Elliott's and Mr. Heys's observations are correct, there 

 can be little doubt as to the Palaeolithic age of these human remains 

 from Galley Hill. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XVI. 



Human Remains discovered by Mr. Bobert Elliott, in the High Terrace-gravel 

 at Galley Hill, near Northfleet, Kent. 



Fig. 1. Skull, side view (norma lateralis), with right half of mandible placed in 

 position. Half natural size. The dotted lines show the probable 

 position of the missing facial bones. 



2. Molar and premolar teeth, grinding surfaces. Natural size. 



3. Skull from above (norma verticalis). A series of dots indicate as nearly 



as possible the middle line, and show the torsion undergone in drying. 

 Half natural size. 



4. Skull from front (norma frontalis). Half natural size. 



5. Skull from behind (norma occipitalis). Hall' natural size. 



6. Left femur, front view, with outline of transverse section. One-fourth 



natural size. 



7. Left femur, inner aspect. This bone is really much more denuded than 



it appears to be in tbese figures. 



8. Eight tibia, much broken ; seen from front, with outline of transverse 



section. One-fourth natural size. 



