The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-09

central Europe completely TO possess them.
selves OF the British area. Generation
after generation they were moving west
ward. but long before they could ali
reach the northwestern seabourd Irclant
had become an island. so that their further
march in that direction was arrested. and be-.
fore the ultimate advancing bands had come as
far as Britain. 1t. too. had been severed by sea
channel which barred their progress. Com.
pairing the land mammals OF the west OF Eu.
rope. we find that while Germany has ninety
species. Britain has forty. and ireland only
twenty-five. Again. the reptiles and amphibia
OF Germany number twenty-five. those Of Brit
ain thirteen and those Of Ireland but four
like discrepancy is traccable in tho fora for
whereas the total number OF species Of flower.
ing plants and ferns found in Britain amounts
to 1.425 those Of Ireland number only go.
Such facts are not explicube by any difference
OF climate, for the climate Of ireland is really
moro equable and genial than that OF the re-
gions lying next 1t on the east.
Mr.. Gekie deems il not unlikely that man
first made his appearance in southern England
at some time before the close Of the long ice nge
He may have been temporarily driven out OF
the country by the returning cold periods but
would find his way back as the climate became
ameliorated.. All that seems safely dcducible
from the evidence collected regarding the first
ffenizens OF Britain may he summed up in the
remark that the palpolithic men. or men OF
the, older stone period, who hunted over tho
plains, fshed In the rivers, and lived in caves
have left behind them implements. rude indeed
but quite suitable for their purpose. and like
X nd which bear close resemblance to the i'm
plements still in use among the Eskimos lt
rect descendants of the palRoithic inhabit-
ants OF Britain and Denmark who were driven
into the inhosptable north by the pressure Of
The hunter and cave dweller passed away be-
fore the advent in Britain Of the farmer and
herdsman OF the neolithic or later stone period
We know much more Of him than Of his pred
eeseessor., He was, short Of stature, with an
dark. curly hair. His mplcments Of stone were
often artisticaly fashioned and polished and
galleries in the chalk for the extraction Of Hints
Tor his weapons and tools. Though still =
AND had a ah a2w to m
animals, He was also acquainted with the arts
Of spinning and weaving, and could make rude
future state may be inferred from arrow
heads. pottery, and implements of various
placed there for the use OF the departed. He IS
generally considered to have belonged to nom
Ras1ues are lineal descendants and it has been
averrcd that traces OF his former presence in
Weshmcn, and the short, swarthy Irishmen d
the west Of Ireland. irish traditions, however.
explain such points ofethnie resemblanee hyth
west Of Spain. Mr.. Geilkie is OF the opinion
that when the earliest neolthic men appeared
in this region Britain may have still been united
to the continent. For a long time. moreover at
ter the channel was opened the, strait must
have been much narrower than II has since be-
come. so that II would not oppose the same OBJ
stacle to free intercourse which IT now docs.
and the neolithic man may have readily travers-
| ed II in his light coracle of skins
The author goes on to show how the gcoipg-
| zeal features Of the country governed the dis
| trihution Of the great Celtic migration which
! he believes to have taken place in two waves,
corresponding 70 the two distinct divisions d
| the race. to wit. the Irish or Gaelic. and the
| Welsh or Cymric. He traces the effect 81 the
same influences in the history of the Anglo
| Saxon conquest Of southern Britain, and of tho
invasons Of the Mortimer and tho Danes. All
| this however has been clearly set forth by Prof.
! Green in his Making of England" and wo
merely need to note that his conclusions are
borne out by one who writes OF the same sub
| however OF Mr.. Gekes essay on which We
! have dwclt at some length. will be found u use
| full Introduction to Mr. Green's monograph.