224 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
" During the last two days the English members were reduced to three, 
Dr. Carpenter having returned to London. At the final meeting, held on 
the 13th inst., the following conclusions were adopted : — 
" ' M. le President, apres avoir resume la discussion, met aux voix les 
conclusions suivantes : — 
"'1. La machoire en question n'a pas ete introduite frauduleusement 
dans la carriere du Moulin-Quignon ; elle existait prealablement dans I'en- 
droit ou M. Boucher de Perthes Fa trouvee le 28 Mars dernier. Cette 
conclusion a ete adoptee a I'unanimite. 
" ' 2. Tout tend a faire penser que le depot de cette machoire a ete con- 
temporain de celui des cailloux et autres materiaux qui constituent Famas 
argilo-graveleux, designe sous le nom de ' couche noire,' laquelle repose 
imraediatement sur la craie. Cette conclusion a ete adoptee par tous les 
membres presents, a Fexception de MM. Falconer et Busk, qui reservent 
leur ox^inion jusqu'a plus ample informe. 
" ' 3. Les silex tailles, en forme de haches, qui ont ete presentes a la re- 
union comme ayant ete trouves vers la meme epoque dans les parties 
iuferieures de la carriere du Moulin-Quignon, sout pour la plupart, sinon 
tous, bien authentiques. 
" ' Cette 3eme conclusion a ete adoptee par toutes les personnes pre- 
sentes sauf par M. Falconer, c^ui reserve son opinion jusqu'a plus ample 
informe. 
' 4. II n'y a aucune raison sufiisante pour revoquer en doute la con- 
temporaneite du depot des silex tailles avec celui de la machoire trouvee 
dans la ' couche noire.' 
" ' Cette proposition est adoptee par tous les membres de la reunion sauf 
par MM. Falconer et Busk, qui desirent reserver leur opinion.' 
" Before signing the 23}'oces-verha I, I handed in to the President the fol- 
lowing memorandum, to be appended to the report, as embodying my 
opinion upon the whole case : — 
" ' I am of opinion that the finding of the human jaw at Moulin-Quignon 
is authentic ; but that the characters which it presents, taken in connection 
with the conditions under which it lay, are not consistent with the said 
jaw being of any very great antiquity. ' H. Falcoxeb. 
" ' Abbeville, May 13.' 
" Mr. Busk also handed in a memorandum, differently worded, but 
virtually to the same effect as regards the question of antiquity. 
The above is a bare outline of the principal features of tliis remarkable 
inquiry. The full discussion of the bearing and import of the conflicting 
evidence on the various points, and of the geological questions involved in 
the case, must be given elsewhere. It will be seen that in the judgment 
of some of those concerned in it the question of the antiquitj^ of the relic 
still remains to be determined. 
" I have only to add that we were received, both at Paris and Abbeville, 
by the eminent French savants with whom we were brought in contact, in 
the most cordial and friendly spirit ; and the conviction was reciprocal 
that, throughout, both sides were influenced solely by an earnest desire to 
arrive at the truth. Sir, your obedient servant, 
"H. Falconee, F.Pi.S. 
" 21, ParTc Crescent, N. W., May 19. 
" P.S. Dr. Carpenter, although named as a commissioner, both in the 
French and English accounts of the proceedings, wishes it to be under- 
stood that he took no part in the discussion upon the flint haches, as to the 
genuineness of which he did not consider himself competent to form an 
opinion ; but he had been sufficiently impressed hj the unanimous con- 
