188 



TUE GEOLOGIST. 



found, nor is there any other evidence by which the age of the several de- 

 posits can be determined. 



The author did not assign the highest antiquity to any of the skulls ex- 

 hibited, as the flint-tools found near them were not of the earliest or drift 

 type ; these (exhibited) were both polished and chipped. 



Previously to describing the skulls, the author enumerated the most 

 marked characteristics of the Orcadian, Scandinavian, Ancient British, 

 Etonian, and Saxon skulls, comparing the one with the other, at the same 

 time admitting the difficulty of an absolute classification, and pointing out 

 the wide differences existing among individuals of the same race. Still, 

 the causes of modification being fewer and less active amongst ancient 

 than amongst modern races, it was easier to arrive at more certainty of 

 determination in ancient skulls than of those of our present mixed races. 



The author pointed out that the three skulls exhibited separate and well- 

 marked types. That from the west side of the river Lea was comparatively 

 small and well-proportioned, and apparently of a young person. 



The second, from the east of the river Lea, \A as of large size, with im- 

 mense posterior development, and was evidently that of a man past middle 

 life. The large bony crest of the occipital bone was extremely marked 

 by the former attachment of large and powerful muscles. Altogether tl iis 

 skull showed great animal development and had marked affinities with 

 many of the skulls of the Celtic period. 



The third skull, from East Hara marshes, presented the greatest in- 

 terest ; in its vicinity were found the two flint-implements, and it was pro- 

 bably the earliest of the three. The frontal development was very low, 

 the vertical aspect narrowing rapidly anteriorly, the occipital region j)re- 

 dominating considerably over the frontal ; the bony ridge of the occiput, 

 too, was very marked ; the sutures were nearly obliterated, so it was an 

 aged skull. The author compared it with a cast of the Engis skull, and 

 believed there were points of resemblance. 



Professor Busk, F.Ii.S., gave elaborate descriptions of the peculiarities 

 of the skull. 



Mr. C. C. Blake pointed out the discrepancies between the observations of 

 those craniologists who had assigned particular crania to particular periods, 

 as e.g. between Steenstrup and Wilson, the former having, by his observa- 

 tions in Scandinavia, correlated the brachycephalic skulls with the date of 

 the earliest known stone deposits in Denmark, whilst Wilson had demon- 

 strated the existence of a long-headed (kumbecephalic) race of men from 

 cairns at Nether Urquhart in Fifeshire and elsewhere, prior to the brachyce- 

 })halic races who have left their remains in the later Stone period at Mont- 

 rose. He hoped that some solution might be offered for this apparent 

 discrepancy. 



Mr. S. J. Mackie, F.G.S., remarked that the geological conditions in 

 the present case seemed to have been somewhat overlooked. The sections in 

 some places exliibited three beds of peat, and these ought to be carefully 

 exainined to see wliothor any vegetation existed in this country at the 

 periods of their formal ion different from that which is now indigenous. 



He did not think attention should be solely given to the form and other 

 craniological charact ers of the exhumed skulls, for craniologists seemed to 

 be by no nuwns certain of the distinctions they had drawn being tvpical. 

 He thought it rather rested with geologists to prove hj strati grajj /ileal 

 evidence the antiqniti/ of such remains, and thus furnish a stable basis for 

 the inf(U-ences of the craniologist and ethnologist. 



'I'he following diagram will show the relative positions of the human 

 remams nnd the flint implements: the sections being those given bv the 



