- 5 -
carried it rapidly back to that same clump of gorse behind
me. At 5.29 the whole procedure was exactly repeated, and
then again at 5.39 and yet again at 5.52. Since its
movements were so regular, I moved closer to its path hoping
for a closer look and, sure enough, at 6.10 out it came
again, but pulled up sharply as soon as it saw me, and
dashed back into its bush. A few moments later, it came out
for a second look and we stared into each others' eyes for
several seconds before it decided not to chance it again.
The stoat must have left next by a different route,
for when I saw it a few minutes later with yet another kill,
a spaniel also saw it at the same time and the creature
immediately returned the way it had just come.
In an hour and ten minutes, that stoat had caught and
brought back one small rabbit and at least six mice. No
doubt he was in for a feast later that night.
I must go back some time and find out just what that
little blue flower was.
*********
A CURIOUS FLINT. An archaeological contribution from
W.J. Chambers
The flint was found among gravel spread on a car park
in Debden Road, Saffron Walden. It consists of a tabular
piece of flint about 3 x 23/8 in. with a cortex on one face,
and is heavily and deeply chipped on one edge. It is worn
and patinated and obviously of Palaeolithic date. The
curious feature is that the edge-chipping has not been
prolonged so that the scars intersect to form a cutting edge,
but has been terminated in such a manner as to leave a blunt
edge from 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. It is, therefore, an implement
designed to bruise without cutting, but its precise use is
difficult to determine. It is too light for splitting bones
to extract the marrow, and I can only imagine that it was
used for pounding roots or cracking nuts.