Journal of Proceedings.
xv
Mr. Henry Woodward, of the British Museum. The tusk, being satu-
rated with moisture, had first to be underdrained to partially dry it,
and to give it a little consistence, or it would not take any of the size
or glue which must be employed to replace the cohesive animal matter
which in process of time it had lost. The surface having been cleaned
from sand and gravel, damp paper was then carefully laid over it,
and over this liquid plaster of Paris was poured. This soon hardened,
the paper preventing its adhesion to the bone. In the case of a large
tusk with a double curve, rods of iron, bent to the shape of the
tusk, had to be used, and solidly embedded in the plaster. So far,
the upper surface only had been dealt with, and the more difficult or
under part had then to be treated. This was done by undermining a
few inches at a time alternately, and tying up the underlying matrix
(often loose sand) with list or haybands until the entire length had
been secured and fixed with plaster. The whole had then to be very
carefully turned over on to a platform made to receive it, when more
plaster was added, and the bone encased in a perfect splint or case,
in which state it might be removed. A large tusk would require from
two to three hundredweight of plaster. It was then left to dry, and
when ready, the coats of earth, bands, and plaster were carefully
removed with saw and chisel; the paper first laid on preventing the
adhesion of the plaster to the bone, and preserving the "skin" intact.
In drying, the bone cracks all over, and often separates into many
hundred pieces. In this case the pieces were numbered whilst still
in the plaster matrix, and then boiled in a solution of glue to give
them consistency: they were then fitted together again with cement.
If these operations were carefully performed, the pieces fitted so accu-
rately that the joints were scarcely discernible.
Sir Antonio referred to his Catalogue of Pleistocene Mammalia from
Ilford as being the most complete record ever made of one locality.
It was always his desire that his fossils should be preserved in some
local museum, so as to be available for study near the scene of their
discovery. He had offered them to the East London Museum, but the
Government of that day would not accept the trust, and so the col-
lection went to the British Museum, the authorities there having
expressed a great desire to have it. There was no Epping Forest Club
then in existence, or its resting-place might have been different.
In conclusion, Sir Antonio expressed his pleasure at being present as
a member of a society which promised so well, and which had so wide
a field of work before it. He moved a cordial vote of thanks to Mr.
Walker for his pleasant and instructive lecture.
The President said, before putting the vote, he had a few announce-
ments to make. The projected Field Meeting to the Forest earthworks
they were obliged to postpone, owing to the difficulty of securing the
services of a skilled archaeologist to conduct the same. As soon as