Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/396

336 fragments of bones"; so that, if this description is correct, a complete Hippopotamus femur would seem rather out of place.

The numerous rolled fragments of bone found by us in and around the red conglomerate vary in size from the size of a finger-tip to half the palm of the hand, and throughout our search we found nothing like a complete bone. Before commencing this article, however, I wrote to Dr. Noetling, mentioning this difficulty, and asking what was his explanation of it; but, having received no answer, I can only conjecture that no very satisfactory one is forthcoming. It would appear to be not difficult to determine whether the rubbing down took place before the bone was fossilized or after, but Dr. Noetling does not mention that this test has been applied. Mr. LaTouche searched for the specimen in the Geological Museum, as Dr. Noetling was absent in Europe, but could not find it in the place where it should have been, and, as the latter gentleman, at the time of writing, is in Cashmir, there must be some further delay in finding it.

However, the bone at best is only useful in support of the flints, and if these have a different origin it cannot support them, but must remain as a solitary and inconclusive specimen.

That some sort of man existed in Burma—or, at any rate, in the Malay Peninsula—in Tertiary times is not only possible, but probable; but that the chipped flints and facetted bone are the work of his hands is, I think, a conclusion that is not warranted by the facts. The place where the flints were found would appear to be a palæolithic workshop, and as such is of great interest; but the vast difference between such a find and a discovery of specimens of the work of pre-glacial man is too obvious to require mention.

The photograph for this article has been kindly taken for me by the Rev. Charles Hodder, Town Chaplain, Mandalay.

Since writing this article, I have heard that some of the flint chips that were taken to England by Col. Nichols have, through the kindness of Col. Bingham, been submitted to Dr. Blanford, Prof. Bonney, and other expert authorities, and that they are pronounced to be of undoubted human origin.—R.C.J.S.