190 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
but tliey are more nuraerous in tlie lower part. It has been estimated 
that there is one implement to one cubic yard of gravel. They occur 
singly, and, as far as we know, lying flat. The spot where one was found 
in situ by Mr. Flower was pointed out in the section, and also the spot 
where the speaker and Mr. Evans extracted one. These worked flints 
partake of all the mineral characters of the gravel — the result of contem- 
poraneous deposition. Some retain their original dark colour, others are 
stained yellow and brown ; some have their outer surface converted to a 
bright white ; many are encrusted with thin patches of carbonate of lime ; 
and many again exhibit dendritic markings, — all being conditions in per- 
fect harmony with the mass of broken subangular flints composing the 
body of the gravel, of which they are, in fact, component parts, showing 
one and the other like characters of age. Several hundred specimens 
of flint implements from this pit have passed under the speaker's inspec- 
tion ; thirty selected specimens were exhibited, showing the principal 
forms which prevailed, and in which the workmanship and design were 
most apparent. Few can feel any doubt who inspect a series of this na- 
ture. It is not so much evidence of art and skill that we look for, but 
primarily of design. The speaker did not dwell on this point, which is 
now generally accepted. It has been well treated by Mr. Evans and 
others. 
The fossils consist of perfect and uninjured, though very friable, land 
and fresh-water shells in the following proportion, and of bones, mostly 
broken, and teeth of the following animals. The list is necessarily only a 
sketch. 
Fauna of the Quaternary Gravels of the Somme Valley. 
ANIMALS. SHELLS. 
Elephas primigenius. 14 species of land shells. 
Elephas antiquus. 
Rhinoceros tichorhinus. 9 species of marine shells (Abbe- 
Hippopotamus. viUe only). 
1^ 
Ursus speleeus. 
Hvsena spelaea. 21 species of freshwater shells, 
•s Felis. 
''Cervus All these are of species living 
(2 or more species). in France, and all but one 
Bos in England, except the Cy- 
(2 or more species). rena flnminalis, now living 
Equus in the Jsile and Central 
(2 species). Asia. 
Proceeding to interrogate the section with a view to determine the 
causes which led to the formation of these beds, the nature of the climate 
which then prevailed and their age, the following conclusions were de- 
duced : — 
1. The mineral ingredients of the gravel are chiefly broken flints de- 
rived from the chalk of the district in general, but with these there occur 
fragments and blocks of Tertiary sandstone and Tertiary fossils, which 
could only have come from places ten to twenty miles higher up the val- 
ley. Therefore the agency, whatever it was, that brought the debris here 
must have proceeded in a direction down the present valley, the Tertiary 
debris being found along that line as far as the sea. Further, the cause 
could not have been a general one extendmg beyond the present hydro- 
graphical basin, for none of the older rock debris from the valley of the 
I 
