NATURE NOTES 
1 66 
man, or artificially made tools, is of no special importance.” 
— Professor Boyd-Dawkins, in Man, April, 1903. 
In the above quoted passages we have statements by two 
acknowledged authorities upon the question of the geological 
position of Eoliths. In the first instance we are told that their 
tertiary age is generally admitted, whilst in the second Professor 
Boyd-Dawkins maintains the reverse, and apparently wishes to 
establish the contemporaneity of Palaeolithic and “ so-called ” 
Eolithic types, which if substantiated means the destruction 
of the claim that Eoliths represent evidence of pre-Palaeolithic 
man in England. 
Lord Avebury, whilst admitting that Eoliths show evidence 
of man, nevertheless regards them as representing “ the ruder 
implements of the Palaeolithic period.” 
The three statements may be thus condensed: (i) Tertiary 
age generally admitted : human origin doubted. (2) Contem- 
poraneity of type of Eoliths and Palaeoliths : human origin of 
Eoliths denied. (3) Eoliths an early form of Palaeoliths, human 
origin admitted. Statements emanating from acknowledged 
authorities command, of course, the utmost consideration, and 
it is probable that to many the opinions taken singly would find 
wide acceptance. It is only when they are placed together and 
found to be mutually destructive that a close scrutiny becomes 
imperative and the necessity of meeting the objections apparent. 
Into the human origin of Eoliths it is unnecessary to enter, 
as the question is now not only practically decided, but every 
day gains fresh adherents. Number 2 may, therefore, be our 
starting point. Professor Boyd-Dawkins bases his objection 
on the three specimens in the Prestwich collection ; but it is 
difficult to understand the conclusive nature of the argument, 
as the Kentish Shoreham lies almost in the base of the Darent 
Valley, on the loo-feet level, although to the east and west of the 
village the land rises rapidly to the 500-feef contour. At the 
summit of these valley-slopes there occur spreads of gravel 
containing Eoliths of the type found in the pits sunk by Mr. 
Harrison at Terry’s Lodge and elsewhere. At the same time 
their rolled condition proves them to have travelled a consider- 
able distance, possibly brought down by the Darent, when that 
river ran at a far higher level. Now with these rolled, stained 
and scratched implements there are also undoubted Palaeolithic 
implements, but with the all-important difference, that they 
show neither stains, scratches or rolling, presenting, in fact, 
those well-defined edges and sharply flaked surfaces so pleasing 
to the eye of the collector. From their fresh condition it is 
evident that these Palaeolithic implements still occupy approxi- 
mately the area in which they were used, namely the 450-feet 
contour : their fairly constant occurrence at that elevation 
shows, perhaps, that the height at which the rivers then ran 
is some 350 feet above the present course of the Darent. 
This will show the vast denudation which has taken place 
