The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-12-04
Proofs Of the Existence OF Man in the
PleIstOcene Age.

PRoF. DAwKINs's lectures in the
Lowell ms, itute are becoming more
popular as he gains power in his descrip-
tons, and as he approaches his ''quar-
ry," as he calls the mighty game he has
been hunting down--the human race.
Last Friday his subject was the first APP
pearance of man upon the earth, which
was in the pleistocene age. The dis
cussion was limited in the main to dis
coveries which have been made in Great
Britain, that country having been made
special study by Prof Dawkins. In
the pleistocene age the country now oc-
cupied by the North Sea was elevated,
so that the sea was but a narrow gut,
and the land was occupied by large for
ests of Scotch fir, spruce, yews, oaks,
birches and ferns. In this age were
found animals surviving from the pleis-
tocene age, such as the stag and the
straight horned elephant. But animals
of the temperate climates were appear
ing, such as the beaver and the wolver-
inc. Southern forms of vegetation ex-
tended further north than now, and
there Is evidence that the climate was
much milder than now. Seeing that
there were living in the early pleistocene
age many of the highest mammalian
forms, it is not impossible that man was
coming then, though the evidence from
cut bones which have been found is not
conclusive, for such cuttings might have
been made by the incisors of beavers.
In the middle pleistocene age were
many forms of mammalian life, but they
were of types belonging to the temperate
climates. In Britain were great
herds of bisons and horses, as well as
lions and hyenas, and among those ami
mails was one of the most arctic types
the musk-sheep. But there is full and
perfect evidence of the presence of man
in Europe at this time. In 1872 was
found small flint splinter in
the valley of the Thames,
which belongs to this age and
must have been dropped by man. About
four months ago, Professor Dawkins said
that he had the good fortune to exam
inc a mass of flint splinters, which had
evidently been knocked off by the man.
ufacture of implements and also to find
half the implement itself, the other half
of which has since been found. The
original discoverer of the flint splinters |
has restored them to the block to which |
they belong, and proved conclusively
Chat the place in which they were found |
WAS where early man made his imple-
nents. These implements were made |
of pebbles and small stones, and prove |
thatat that time man had not yet learned |
the mixing of metals. Latest in the char |
acteristics of the pleistocene age which
are concerned in this discussion, is the |
presence in force of the arctic mammalia
IN Britain. In pond on mountain of |
1000 feet height in Derbyshire, Professor
DaWkins has found immense quantities
,of bones of bisons and also reindeer re-
mains by the thousand. These bisons
were evidently there in the summer, be-
because there are no remains of calves.
Grizzly bears, wolves and foxes are
never represented in the remains found
in the neighborhood. In the river drift
gravel on which London is built was
found in 1890 flint instrument which
belongs to the pleistocene age. Since
then large numbers of such cutting flints
have been found both there and in other
parts of Britain in association with bones |
of reindeer and other animals. In |
France, Spain, Italy and Greece there is
ample proof that man was living at this
time, and was a primeval savage hunter,
such as also existed in northern Africa at |
the same time. In Egypt, Palestine and
India such men were living at the same
time, implying a uniform condition
from which they have emerged during
a long period.
As to the relation of these men to the
,.oo ao profa,cor Dauylyino eaiJ
that there is no reason for referring to
this age any of the skeletons which have
been found. But fragments of bones
have been found which evidently belong
to this age, and which belong to man,
not to missing link. He said he was
to consider the facts, and those were
that the earliest bones of man are of
man, not of an intermediate stage of be-
ing. The evidence is that man invaded
Europe from Asia, just as the animals of
the pleistocene age came to it. If he
should attempt to fix the location of the
Garden of Eden, he should place it in
that part of Asia whence have migrated
so many tribes of men-a district of
Central Asia. Very positive evidence
of the presence of man is found in North
America, and he was of the stage of de-
velopment as man in Europe in the
pleistocene age. BY the Delaware River
in New Jersey is found large deposit
of implements, which are abundant
proof of the statement. Reindeer and
walrus were living as far south as New
Jersey at that time. So, at the earliest
date at which we find man, he is at the
same stage of evolution in Europe, Asia
and America. He presents primeval
condition of savagery, from which have
emerged the modern races of men,
Boston advertiser.
Fashion in WOmen's Months.