ours was either under ice and snow, or under an icecovered ocean; in other words, England was then very much what Greenland or North Siberia is now, and this probably lasted from 15,000 to 25,000 years (Dr. Colls thought 150,000). But it does not very much matter whether the 15,000 or the 150,000 figure be adopted.

The important question is to understand that, anyhow, the time needed for the advance and retreat of the great ice streams must have been very long. And it is this which gives the gap, so to speak, or interval between the Eolithic or Plateau, and the Paleolithic or Valley, races of man. And now the important point comes.

A considerable time must have elapsed for the evolution of the symmetrical forms of the Palæolithic implements from the rude Eolithic types: a transition greater than that which separates the work of the Valley or Paleolithic from that of the Neolithic or polished stone Period (see Illustration on p. 340).

The subject may be looked at from two points of view, viz., the archæological and the geological. In the former, the work of man is the starting-point; in the latter, the work of Nature was.

Archæology deals with all that men in ancient times have made and left behind, and these rude implements and tools are the oldest we know of; so I think you will all admit the subject is worthy of the consideration of this Association.

It seems most probable that a ruder form of implement must be looked for than the more specialized Paleolithic forms of the river drifts, to form the beginning of the chapter of the history of early man, and here on the Kentish plateau I think Mr. Harrison has found it, as far as this country is concerned. These implements, taken generally, are peculiar, and seem to be confined to a distinct area, being found on the plateau gravel at from 400 ft. to 800 ft. above the sea-level, and within twentyfour miles of Piccadilly; so we undoubtedly have here what may be termed the cradle of Early Man. The Eolithic implements may be termed the prototypes of the later implements.

Early man did not consider form of any importance: two

objects alone presented themselves to his simple intelligence, a hand-grip and a usable edged tool. He worked with both hands, as we know by the left-handed forms being almost or quite as numerous as the right. No

doubt some of these flints are three parts the work of Nature, and one part the work of art or man. Nature

1 A. is from near Ightham; B. from North Fleet; C. from Denmark.

probably suggested the form to man.

Some examples

show much less working than others, but will nevertheless be found to have their place in the series.

We cannot expect to prove the regular evolution, but merely to show the relation of one form to the other. But study of the specimens clearly demonstrates that we have an unbroken sequence of development.

These Eolithic implements being inferior in shape and working to the majority of the Palæolithic specimens, are, therefore, from an evolutionist's point of view, to be considered the older. The tools or implements are divided into groups of Archæan character, the same form recurring in great numbers.

The repetition of the same form in the different types is very remarkable, and is, I consider, a strong point in favour of their being the work of man. What were the uses of some of these "tools," or "weapons," or implements-the terms are synonymous, as they were used at first as much for purposes of construction as for those of destruction-will always remain a mystery.

And now the question is this, and a very simple one. It matters not if nearly all, or at least half of the specimens found by Mr. Harrison are the work of Nature (very probably some are), and even if only half a dozen out of the four or five thousand collected can be shown to be the work of man, and the stratigraphical position. established, then Eolithic or plateau man becomes a real being, to whom the modern world was first introduced by Mr. Harrison, of Ightham, the small village near Sevenoaks. Many of these eoliths are naturally split flints, worked from one side only; the trimming or chipping is generally of a character such as could not have been produced by accident or natural causes, and these are much worn. The colour is a characteristic dark brown, the cutting edges being rounded off or blunted; the chipping appearing always on the opposite side to a good hand-grip, which fact was an important consideration with primitive man.

In conclusion, Mr. Abbott (in Natural Science) says: "Careful searching over the surface of slight excavations not only showed the existence of old brown flints, quartz

ites, chert, etc., but revealed the remarkable fact that the former had been picked up and worked perhaps on one edge, used-sharp edges being abraded in the usingthen thrown down again; and further that all this had taken place before the flint entered into the remarkable deposit which so altered the surface of the object, and changed its colour to the aforesaid rich dark brown. There are sometimes found Eocene pebble flints, split by frost and worked from one side only; at others, there are discovered nearly whole flints, picked promiscuously, the working appearing always on the opposite side to a good hand-grip. There are here no oval hammer-stones, such as were used in Palæolithic times, and consequently bulbs of percussion on flakes are very rare."

NOTE. The following is the quotation from Mr. Leith's Paper on "Eoliths from Pretoria," referred to on pp. 332 and 338:

"I found the entrance to the cave about 15 ft. above sea-level, in a cliff about 200 ft. high. The cave is reached from the top by climbing down a very steep and rocky path, at the foot of which a 30-ft. ladder takes one to the entrance. As this could not possibly have been the pathway used by its prehistoric occupants, I looked about for another. I looked in vain. Nothing resembling a path was to be seen, but I noticed that by a circuitous route over bare rocks, inclined at some places at an angle of 45°, a baboon, a Bushman, or possibly a barefooted boy, at the risk of his life, might reach the cave. It must have been a perfect haven of refuge for those who knew the devious and dangerous path. It is a cave in the true sense of the word. The opening is not large; but inside the roof is high, and the far end is lost in cavernous darkness. It is not given to every anthropologist to see 'cave dwellers' at home, but such was my good fortune on that occasion. Stepping off the ladder, I clambered up the slope to the entrance. The scene that met my eyes I shall never forget. In the middle of the dark space a fire of driftwood was burning, and in the light of it were sitting three Hottentots, naked to the waist, one tearing the meat of a bone with his teeth, the others busy helping themselves from a pot standing between them. As a picture of prehistoric man at home it was complete, and it was not an illusion."