234 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



obtain as many facts as possible, and get the question settled. My 

 first acquaintance with these objects occurred about fifteen years ago ; 

 for as I was uncovering some Anglo-Saxon remains in the Kempston 

 Gravel-pit, near Bedford, I found several round stones perforated 

 through ; and so strongly was I impressed at the time that they were 

 the personal ornaments of the ancient chieftain just exhumed, that 

 I actually presented them to the Archaeological Society as Saxon 

 beads. Subsequent examinations of the Drift gravels, however, con- 

 vinced me that the balls were of an earlier period than the Anglo- 



Hollow specimens of Coscinopora from the Gravel Drift of Bedford. 



Saxon, whether works of art or natural productions. They are de- 

 scribed by some naturalists to be specimens of the Chalk fossil 

 named as the Coscinopora glohularis ; but the great question for con- 

 sideration is, how did they become perforated ? The theory put forth 

 by some objectors is that they were bored by an insect or worm when 

 they were in their soft, primitive condition ; but it is difficult to un- 

 derstand how the most voracious insect could seize upon a perfectly 

 round object and drill through it, most accurately, a thoroughly 

 straight tunnel of uniform bore. I have lately examined more than 

 two hundred specimens from the low gravel without finding a single 

 crooked or winding bore ; but on making sections of some of them I 

 have seen markings which appeared to me to indicate drilling with a 

 tool after the object was fossilized, rather than the gnawing of an 

 insect whilst the sponge was soft. There are certain facts in connec- 

 tion with these little globes to be borne in mind in the discussion of 

 the question : — They are found in the Pleistocene Drift gravels and 

 sands which contain t1ie fossil bones of the extinct mammals and the 

 flint implements ; and the perforation is not a natural condition of the 

 sponge ; were that the case, the specimens would be uniform in that 

 respect, whereas some are found entire, without the slightest hole. 

 The gravehbeds of this county, as well as those of Abbeville and 

 Amiens, contain them, and we know that they have been regarded 

 as works of enrly art in France as well as England ; and they are 

 such perfect beads that general observers unhesitatingly (and not 

 uureasonnhly) pronounce them to be portions of ancient necklaces. 

 TIie leanuHl Or. Jligollot, who devoted great attention to the Drift, 

 gave the opinion that los petites boules avaient servi a former des 

 colhers a rnsago (Uvs pouiilos sauvages :" but subsequently a strong 

 ohjoetion was taken to this opinion by M. ilbert Gaudry/who, in a 



