in the Drift of the Valley of the Avon. 



229 



England, as for instance at Bury St. Edmund, these same low 

 level gravels have proved very productive of flint implements. 



But to return to these very interesting objects, the flint imple- 

 ments themselves, they have been found in Wiltshire chiefly in 

 the high level gravels of ^the various places before enumerated, 

 sparingly in some, more abundantly at others, especially at 

 Milford Hill, which in productiveness has rivalled some of the 

 most celebrated Continental localities. They are found occupy- 

 ing various levels in the gravel, some at but a few feet from 

 the surface, others occur in a middle position, whilst perhaps 

 the greatest number are found near the base of the deposit, 

 a few absolutely resting in the pale fawn coloured chalk rubble 

 immediately above the undisturbed chalk. The implements form 

 part and parcel of the gravel and are stained and water-worn 

 in the same manner as the unworked flints : in no instance has 

 there been observed the slightest indication of any excavation 

 or disturbance of the gravel subsequent to its first deposition. 

 During the excavations on Milford Hill, very many worked flints 

 were seen absolutely "in situ," a fact we owe to the great interest 

 and most laudable industry exhibited by many collectors, but more 

 especially to the individual researches of Mr. James Brown and 

 Mr. Wheaton. 



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, bearing marks of many 

 a hard knock and jostle by the way; others 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 remarkable that 

 this staining does not appear to be due to their present position 

 in the gravel, some of the darkest specimens have been dug 

 out of the pale chalk rubble, side by side with fragments of 

 flint retaining its original hue : and on the other hand, perfectly 

 unstained examples have been obtained from the dark ochreous 

 gravel. Nearly all present a greater or less amount of dendritic 

 markings due to the peculiar form which the mixed oxides of Iron 



