Tools of otir Ancestors 



39 



Their genuineness was the subject of an important discus- 

 sion at the International Congress of Anthropology and Pre- 

 historic Archaeology. It is stated in Nature (June 28), that 

 " a series of mill modelled flint nodules was exhibited, among 

 which there was certainly a number closely resembling many 

 Prestwichian types, but conspicuous by their absence were 

 the decidedly purposeful and rationally usable Kentian forms. 

 A small collection exhibited by Prof. Girod, obtained near 

 Aurilliac, affirmed to be out of a bed of Tortonian (Miocene) 

 gravels containing Hipparion, underlying a massive stratum 

 of basalt, contained at least one ' eolith ' unquestionably of 

 human manufacture. The occurrence was vouched for, by 

 M. Rutot, of implements of a particular silex, identical in 

 form with those from Kent, in pre-Glacial beds in Belgium, in 

 which no other silex pebbles of the same character and com- 

 position were present, and the manufacture and introduction 

 of which could be due only to man. Prof. Ray Lankester 

 submitted that he had recently placed on exhibition in the 

 British Museum a considerable series of specimens selected 

 from Prestwich's collection, all borer-like in form, too 

 identical in shape and so obviously of rational utility for 

 any possibility of their being the result of fortuitous natural 

 collisions. The congress was, however, divided in opinion 

 on the subject. At a later meeting a telegram from Prof. 

 Schweinfurth, in Egypt, was read, announcing full confirma- 

 tory evidence of the occurrence of ' eoliths ' in the Nile 

 Valley." 



Pigmy Flints. 



Pigmy Flints constitute a class of flint implements which 

 are very remarkable for their diminutive size. They seldom 

 exceed an inch in length, and are often not more than half an 

 inch. In spite of their small size, the thicker sides or backs 

 often show very beautiful secondary chipping, but the natural 

 edge is usually left untouched. It requires a careful examina- 

 tion of a " pigmy flint," with the aid of a pocket lens, properly 

 32 



