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up in the level they would, under the influence of moisture, soon have 
decayed, so that there would be no proofs whatever of there having been a 
level there ; and, in subsequent mining operations, miners might come across 
these old levels, and, finding the implements that had been left there, 
regard them as contemporaneous with the gravel itself, and so jump at once 
to a conclusion as to a fact which has had no existence. I think the sugges- 
tion of Dr. Southall’s a most likely one, namely — that all these implements 
and other things found in the gravels were introduced by the old miners 
in old mining galleries, and all the circumstances seem to point in that direc- 
tion. With regard to the Calaveras skull, we should not expect to find any 
recognisable disturbance in the overlying bed, supposing the object had been 
introduced by a gallery or level in the way I have described. The overlying 
bed would have been, of course, untouched. With regard to Dr. Dawson’s 
communication, I think it an interesting one, and I agree with most that is 
in it. There is not much difference between his views and those of Pro- 
fessor Dawkins, except that one draws the line at one period and the other 
at another. I should like to know what argument Professor Dawson can 
adduce to show that the submergences of land he speaks of were not slow sub- 
mergences. He says, without giving any proof, that it is impossible to show 
Ijhat. Of course, I do not say that it may not be so ; but I should like to know 
what proof he can give of it ; because all the geological changes, as far as we 
can follow them, have been slow changes. I think I have now said nearly all 
I need put before you, for I do not feel able to add very much to the argu- 
ments that have been adduced by others. I hope some other gentleman 
will now take up the subject. 
Mr. T. K. Callard, F.G.S. — I should like to make a few remarks in the 
same direction as those of the last speaker. On pages 6 and 7 * of the 
paper we find it stated that the mortars have “ in almost every instance 
been found by miners in their search for gold ” ; tills is important. Again, 
it is said that the relics seem always to have been found in the auriferous 
gravel, and I should like to add that they are just such as we should 
have expected the ancient miners to have used. Now, if it be esta- 
blished that ancient miners have been there, all difficulty with regard 
to these relics is removed. In addition to the evidence before us, 
Mr. Bancroft says that the new Alamaden quicksilver mines are said 
to have been worked by the natives for the purpose of obtaining ver- 
milion long before the coming of the Spanish. I would also call atten- 
tion to the skillet spoken of on page 4, — “ An ancient skillet, as we 
are told, made of lava as hard as iron, with a spout and three legs, was 
washed out of a claim at Forest Hill” ; and on page 6 it is said, “ He,” — 
that is, Pliocene man — “ used a vessel described as a skillet, made of lava, 
hard as iron, which was circular in form, and had three legs and a spout.’’ 
* See numerals at the foot of each page. 
