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Rh to this system the whole range of Palæolithic civilization is divided into six epochs, viz. Chelléen, Acheuléen, Moustérien, Aurignacien, Solutréen and Magdalénien. All these so-called epochs are but mere landmarks on the high- road of advancing civilization, and are in- tended to represent, as nearly as possible, the successive phases of Palæolithic culture. Some kind of nomenclature is absolutely necessary, as otherwise it would be impossible to fix attention on any particular fact in the progressive stream of civilization, without having recourse to more or less descriptive details. It is therefore essential to have precise ideas associated with these milestones by the way, so that by the mention of a single name we at once know in what part of the road we are travelling. The attainment of this object will be best accomplished by a brief description of the typical stations on which the nomenclature is founded, and of a few of their most characteristic relics.

1. Chelléen.—So named from the station of Chelles, a small plateau of alluvial deposits, eight miles east of Paris and eight metres above the bed of the Marne, from which it is distant two kilometres. A section shows three separate layers, within a thickness of eight metres, resting on Tertiary deposits. The lowest layer is especially interesting, on account of the number of teeth of Elephas antiquus and meridionalis which it has yielded, associated with remains of Hippopotamus major, Rhinoceros merckii, Trogontherium,