Knowles — On Prehistoric Remains. 
623 
the average of flakes to dressed objects previously found; but, calcu- 
lating on this basis, it would give an estimated total of about 30,000 
objects, including flakes from Whitepark Eay alone, and yet we have 
doubts expressed as to there being a Stone Age in Ireland. Two poor 
but ordinary stone axes were found with the flints at Whitepark Bay, 
which were the only objects showing any trace of polishing. While 
satisfied as to the age of the remains from the sandhills, I feel that the 
neolithic period must have been of long duration, and that considerable 
development must have taken place during its continuance. I am 
therefore interested in the question as to whether the remains from our 
Irish sandhills occupy an early or late position in that age, and also 
as to the relation of the Stone Age in Ireland to that of other countries 
of Europe. It is probable that the northern and central portions of 
Europe were depopulated for a long time during the glacial period, 
which would account for the hiatus between the palaeolithic and 
neolithic ages, but the inhabitants may only have been driven south- 
wards till the glaciers passed away and tlie climate improved. The 
British Isles and the depopulated parts of Europe would then begin to 
be repeopled, and with this event would commence, I should say, the 
neolithic age. If the first neolithic people had come from the eastward 
there is no doubt that they would have been longest of reaching Ireland, 
as it lies farthest to the west. In that case the Stone Age in Ireland 
might have been more recent than the same age in other parts of Europe ; 
but I believe it is more likely that the first neolithic people came 
northwards along the coasts, and that they were the descendants of or 
related to the palaeolithic inhabitants who had been driven southwards, 
as we find many customs and forms of implements of the palaeolithic 
age still surviving among the neolithic people. It is probable thatj 
at the beginning of the neolithic age, the present conditions of climate, 
at least relatively, would have set in, that is that the isothermal lines 
would have occupied positions on a map somewhat corresponding with 
those of the present day. Ireland, as compared with the rest of Europe, 
would have a favourable climate, and there is no reason why the first 
neolithic people should be any longer in reaching the coast of Ireland 
than they would be in arriving at the shores of the Baltic. There are 
kitchen middens in Portugal, and also at various parts along the coast 
of France, as well as in Denmark. Our old surfaces in the sandhills, 
with their shells, broken bones, and implements, are really kitchen 
middens, and of the same nature as those of the Continent. The fauna 
of the sandhills is wonderfully in line with that of the kitchen middens 
of Denmark, and the finding of the Great Auk, which is now extinct 
