216 



FOKEIGN INTELLIGENCE. 



The Abbeville Human Jaw. 



"When we noticed last month the discovery of a human jaw at Moulin- 

 Quignon, we did so with the utmost caution. We knew perfectly well 

 how long and how keenly M. Boucher de Perthes had sought for human 

 relics in the gravels around Abbeville, and we could scarcely believe that 

 the indefatigable collector, who for thirty years had resided on the spot, 

 could not know the difference between a spurious and a real fossil. On 

 the other hand, we had the letter of Dr. Falconer to the ' Times ' before 

 us, and Messrs. Prestwich and Evans, after a journey of inspection and ex- 

 amination, had returned disclaiming the discovery. We seemed thus com- 

 pelled by adverse testimony to repudiate the discovery ; but still we were 

 not satisfied with the premises upon which the adverse conclusions had 

 been founded, neither, on the other hand, could we advocate the genuineness 

 of either the jaw or the flint-implements, for there were circumstances 

 connected with both that made us hesitate. The flint-implements, although 

 of the usual size, namely, six or eight inches long, were not left as usual 

 in their natural state and unworked at the broad end, but were clipped all 

 round ; and the strong point urged by Dr. Falconer, of the presence of ge- 

 latinous matter inside the solitary molar, which was supposed to have 

 fallen from the jaw, was, though not conclusive against the fossil, still a 

 barrier against an advocacy of the genuineness of that specimen, and, by in- 

 ference, of the jaw. Since then, M. Quatrefages has made his report to 

 the Paris Academy of Sciences, and has unequivocally declared in its 

 favour. M. Quatrefages' first communication was made to the Academy 

 on the 27th of April, and the following notice of it was given in the ' Insti- 

 tut:'— 



" M. de Quatrefages brought then before the Academy a very interest- 

 ing palseontological fact — the discovery of a lower human jaw, in the same 

 diluvial sands at the base of which have been found during some years nume- 

 rous worked flints, thanks to the incessant researches continued with such 

 indefatigable zeal by M. Boucher de Perthes. M. Quatrefages sub- 

 mitted for the inspection of the Academy the jaw itself, surrounded still 

 with a part of the matrix which enclosed it. It was at Moulin-Quignon, 

 near Abbeville, that the discovery was made in the deposit already many 

 times quoted in the publications of M. Boucher de Perthes, and of which 

 the natural or undisturbed state is universally admitted by geologists, both 

 French and foreign, who have visited the locality. M. de Quatrefages 

 had been informed of the discovery, and M. Boucher de Perthes had 

 requested him to communicate it to the Academy, but he would not do 

 this until he had seen it with his own eyes. He went to Abbeville as soon 

 as possible, and met there Dr. Falconer, with whom he proceeded to make 

 a first examination of the human jaw. The two naturalists then visited 

 the localities and proceeded to make a sort of inquiry. Dr. Falconer had 

 already been to the quarry of Moulin-Quignon. M. de Quatrefages now 

 descended into it in his turn, and clearing away the soil himself to make cer- 

 tain of getting at earth not attacked by the workmen, he struck into 

 it with a pick. Soon he perceived amongst the detached gravel-stones a 

 first hache and almost immediately a second. He would have continued 

 his search but that the excavation was already so deep that a slip or fall- 

 ing-in was dreaded ; it was prudent to stop. The next day Mr. Brady 

 found in the same place a fourth implement. 



M. de Perthes wishing to confide to M. de Quatrefages the precious 



