New-York tribune., 1878-04-30
PLIOCENE MN.

A LTCTCRE BY PROFESSOR !. p. WHTrNDY-THE
SKULL or CALAyEE,s PEoNOUNCID GENUINE -
EVIDENCE OF TIE BrJENsE ANTIQUITY or
Man.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, April 27.--Thc seventh
leduIe ol tnc course rycu u naulcrs Theatre, under
the gccs oi the Harvard Natural History Society was
delivered by Professor J. d. Whitney on the evening o.
Apul -. His subject was the Californian PIoCeuc
Man" that has become famous through Bret Hlrtca
verses, Wen by rabrrai" discussion The tee
turcr began by giving some account oi the general
geology OF the Sierra Nevada Granite Is found in The
ioot-h, Of the western slop' Will, much Of this slope
j. made up aurerous states. succeeded tho cI'st.
By granite. Such were hc principal surface rocks until
the Phoocue epoch, ana tbi surface htd been deeply
croded by the rivers Of that ana proyIous epochs
During the Piioccnc California and ore cou became the
theatre Of the most cuerdo volcanic activity that
la. devastated tnc lace OF thr gDbc. The valley, of the
rivers ou the sierra filled aud much Of the country
part culary toward the north 90 California. entirely
buried IA lava and ashes Since tcn, the rivers seeking
new channels. have made for themselves deep cJions
leaving their old beds deeply buried under the lava.
These oil buried river gravcls very rich III gold,
and extensive uunclng into tie sides Of the mountains
aud under the Old layas has been done.
IN of those old river bottoms. under the solid basat
of Table Mountain, many works oi human hands have
been obtained, well the celebrated human skull OF
the Plioceae, now 80 well known in connection with
The layas known 10 Pocene Of the re-
OF the cOntcnpOrancOusly buried h0ra and fauna,
which almost totally unlike the flora aud fauna Of
California the pre- sent time Thai the skull fOuud
old intact cemcnied graVcls, has been abuu-
dainty proved by evidence that cannot br gainsaid. AT
II came into the speaker hands Tie skull
s umbeddcd Ia great measure IN lis original graveily
matrX; this condition 1t was tnken by hin to Cam
bridge where under his charge, and the presence OF
Professor Jefres Wyman. Of Harvard University. and
Professor W. H. Brewer Of Yale College the imb dding
matriX chselUd away. In and about the skull
fOnnd other human bones including that must have
belonged 20 an infant. Chemical analysis shows that II
/, true FOSSIL its organic matter being almost entirely
lost and the phosphate VI lime replaced by carbonate OF
lime.
SO far human and geological testimony can at pres
en co. there is question but that the skull found
under Table MOuniHin and is Of Pocene age. However
thoroughly tie vast antiquity OF man upon the globe IL
proved the acceptance Of tuis particular discovery
hxcd fact Is retarded by The Thruogaus aud Darwin
iaus The reason OF the opposition OF the latter * be
the skull might belong To Indian Of the present
day. far its form Il concerned. Therefore Il lends
no support al present to the Evolution theory The vast
antiquity Of man does n0trcs TINS alone but many
similar discoveries, both In America and Europe. The
lecture well illustrated by maps aud sections. and
was also cuyeued Dy the presence OF Brown himself.