frost pitting covers the surface of flints with small, more
or less round depressions, rather like a shallow honeycomb,
and starch fractures are columnar pieces of flint, not
unlike large pieces of the starch from which they get their
name. These forms are produced by thermal action, mostly
frost getting into cracks in the flint, and forcing off
pieces by expansion, their surfaces are usually duller and
not so smooth as in humanly-worked examples.
Two books you will find helpful are "Flint Implements",
published by the British Museum at about 50p. and "Our
Homeland Prehistoric Antiquities", by V.G. Clarke (Homeland
Association 1922). This last is now out of print. They are
both well illustrated and contain bibliographies. You should
try to get on friendly terms with the staff of your local
museum and see if they will allow you to examine a few trays
of specimens from their store rooms at your leisure. It is
not much use just looking at flints in a case, they must be
handled. Finally, never forget to keep your eyes open.
Good specimens turn up in the most unlikely places,
especially in the country, and one never knows when a "find"
will occur.
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MAMMAL GROUP AGM 5th Feb. 1972
The Mammal Group AGM will be held at 3.0p.m. on
Saturday, 5th February 1972 at the Suntrap Field Centre,
High Beach, (TQ 403971). After the official business, the
main part of the meeting will consist of a competition for
the use of the "Mammal Jug" for one year. This year's
competition will be an identification quiz of mammal objects,
signs, slides and sketches. Members are invited to bring
along articles of their own for inclusion and there will be
a further prize for the most interesting object brought along.
Tea will be provided after the meeting.
Brian Eastcott
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