The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-14
SCIENCE.
The Chicago Convention OF SRvans-
EossiI SkulIe and rOOtprlhta.


Fossil skulls aNd FOOtprlRts.
Among the subjects discussed at the recent
meeting at Chicago of the American Association
for the Advancement OF Science was that of the
Fossil Human Skull. A paper on the Fossil
human skull of CaaVeras county, California"
by Professor j. d. Whitney, was read.
The Professor exhibited the piece of skull in
question, which consisted of a section compris-
ing the face, and running diagonally across, so
as to include one ear cavity. The upper and
back portion of the skull were lost, as was one
side. With the skull were exhibited several
bones from other portions of the human body,
which were found in connection with the skull.
The Professor proceeded to discuss the evidence
as to its position in the rocks, and concluded
that the skull had really been found in such a
position as 10 warrant the belief that the
lava strata above 1t had been deposited since the
skull had found its place there. In the skull was
found snail belonging to genus now in exist
ence in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and in
the mouth q bone with o hole through it, as if
Ii had been used as an ornament. From his
Investigations the professor inferred that the
superintendent mass of trCchytic ashes and
gravel IN alternate layers which was above the
skull belonged 10 the pllocene or postpliocene
epoch of geology, which indicates much
greater antiquity for man than has usually
been assigned to him. 1t places his creation
anterior to the glacial epoch, and to the closing
era ol the volcanic eruptiops In California. The
time that has elapsed since the deposition of the
skull cannot be stated in years. An approXIma-
tiol can only be ciphered out by archaologiss
and geoogists alter long study of the clrcum-
stances connected with its deposition.
Professor Silllman, of New Haven, said it had
been his fortune 10 spend good deal of time
in the course of the last few years, In critical
examination OF portion OF the very region
referred TO by Mr. Whitney. He passed a large
part of last summer in the vicinity of James
town, in Sonora, close to one OF the most
ren arkable of those mining regions which have
been developed particularly in that county. This
examination was accompanied by a very dIigent
inquiry as TO the possibility of the occurrence
| of remains of animal lite of whatever descrp-
| ton, or o! organic life, ID connection with
| these deep-lylng places. He inquired of all
| the miners with whom he came in contact
| particularly with reference to the existence of
| any evidence of man or of his works. or of the
| bones of his skeleton. He was bound to say
| that there was not the smallest particle of evil
| dence brought to light, either beneath Table
| Mountain or else where, of his existence either
| in the form OF any portion OF his osseous struc
ture or any of his handiworks. He had listened
! the other day with great interest to the remarks
| of Professor Blake on the occurrence OF human
| remains in this region. The evidence presented
| by Professor Blake was already familiar TO him
| from inquiries at DR.. SMELLS, in Sonora. He did
| rot see any room to differ from the conclusions
| of Professor Whitney. They must conclude on
| the negative side that evidence was yet wanting
! to prove that these evidences of mans handi-
work, stone implements and other things, wcre
! really taken from beneath Table Mountain.
| He exhibited four molars of maStodon,
| which were taken in February of this year
| from beneath Table Mountain, at distance OF
| more than 1850 feet from the surace-a position
which has since been accurately determined by
| instrumental survey. He was surprised last
| summer with the existence of this mastodon
| skeleton. That portion of the tunnel in which
| IT was found not proving lucrative III finding
gold, it had been neglected and fallen in, so that
| he was unable to get access to it; out he found
| 1t in the hands of an enlightened man, M. ID.
| Hughes, a good mineraloglst and assayer, whom
| he impressed with the extreme Importance,
| as a matter of scientific interest, that no pains
| or care should be spared TO determine the
| question, and, whenever he found bones, If he
| would notify him professor Silliman), he would
| come and inspect them. In March last he re-
| ceived letter from MIR. Hughes, informing him
| of the fact that he had reached the bones de-
| scIibed. They were, for the greater part, decom-
| posed. The tusks were broken off to the extent
| of eighteen inches from the extremity, and they
| were also in very perishable state. The mClars,
| however, Mr.. Hughes was kind enough to send
| him, and he had shown them TO Professor Marsh
and others. There was no doubt that they were
the teeth of a mastcdOn-an animal which had
never been found III "A horizon so deep as this
a discovery which placed the mastodon back To
the period at which he was found In India
Whatever might be its age, we certainly at this
penod had no evidence in this horizon OF the
presence of man.
| Professor c. II. Hitchcock gave an account OF
| 'the supposed triAssic iootmarks in Kansas
| He said that four years ago there was COM
| municatlon Published in the american JOuInd
| OF Science and ART concerning certain supposed
footprints of birds in the triassc rocks o
| Kansas. 1t had been his lot within the pas
month, TO visit the State of Kansas, and, after
careful examination, the conclusion at which
| he arrived was, that these impressions were mo-
| made by ANIMALS at all but by some sharJ
, | instrument in the hands OF the aborgines. TIT
, | specimen was obtained from the edge of a hIgl
r | bluff in a Jsitlon where 1T might be supposed
| the Ind aus would make lanimarks. The slal
was two feet in length, and contained four o
these impressions, all uuequal in size and no tw
of them alike in form. so that they could no
have been made by a bird.