The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-20
ABOUT THE ORIGINAL MAN.
Prof. sherzer Thinks He Was a True
Tree Climber.
From the New York World.

From the New York World.
Scientific clans from manga hill and
vale of thought gathered yesterday in
Brooklyn and held separate meetings in
rooms in the Polytechnic Institute and
Packer Institute. There were biologists,
microscopes, civil engineers and scien-
ti6c farmers. These latter were mostly
officials of the agricultural colleges in diff
ferent states, and are supposed to know
all about how farming can be made pleas
ant and remuneratiVe Their work is
closely affiliated TO that of the entomol-
ogists, who met in a nearby room of
Packer Institute.
The most important and interesting
paper read was that of Prof. w II. Sher-
ger before the geological society. This
threw new light on the Darwinian
theory, and raised a question as to
whether the original Americans were not
tree climbers. In fact, Prof Sherzer
pointed out from the skeleton of an orig
lnal American that the man must have
assembled trees like electric light linemeu.
This skeleton was recently dug up on the
shore of Canandaigue lake, in this state,
and is of remote antiquity. Beside it
were two incomplete skeletons and
sacrifcial fireplace, The skeleton
Of this prehistoric New Yorker was diff
terent from that of any man now walking
about.
THE tibie" (the shinbones), said Prof.
Sherzer yesterday, show the peculiar
fiattening characteristic of prehistoric
man, the lateral compression of the femur
(thigh) near the distal and proximal
eXtremities and the perfOration of the
humerus upper arm upon the left side.
These are slmlan characteristics, and rep
resent departures from the human skele-
ton, and are normally present in the
higher apes" This man, in fact, said
Prof. S!4erzer, must have closely resem-
bled an ape. Whether or not he had ape
| blood, and was in fact the missing link
connecting man with monkeys could not
be definitely aScertained. 1t is certain,
however, that he led an ape life and
elm bed trees and performed other feats
like monkeys. Was he the massing link2
That is question raised by Prof. Sher-
zer's description. He then went on to
say;
"Neglecting the theory of genetic de-
| scent, these three characteristics along
with the relatively greater length of
! arms, the position of the fOreamum mag
mum and the elongation of the pelvis,
were accounted for on the principle of
analogous variation. This, in effect, is
what subject man and apes to the same
J llfe-hablts, and similar astrological mOdi-
| ications must arise. The one common
habit which is believed to be capable of
| lea ing such deep impress upon the
| skeleton is tree elm bling"
! Prof Sherzer then went on to describe
| how this prehistoric New Yorker climbed
trees ape-fashion, as shown by his skel-
eton now brought to light, and how the
| habit changed even the shape of bones in
the skeleton. He was convinced that this
! ind was most important link connect
! ing man with the apes
! The biologists then turned their atten-
tion TO the watersheds and mountains,
and adjourned early so that several men,
! bers could attend the Wild West show
! The entomolOgists met across the hall in
| Packer Institute, and the walls were
hung with pictures of bugs and their
wings several thousand diameters en-
larged. The entomologists danced about
| tine pears and apples. 4 stranger COM
| ing in thought that il was their frugal
! lunch. 1t appeared, however, that they
were an important part of the exhibit
! The entomoOgists studied the pears with
! interest, putting them under microscopes
and whispering to each other about what
| they had found. One .olly-looking man
studied specimen and then proceeded TO
| eat 1t, although its skin had been en-
crusted with the larvae of some insect.
l.. A. Howard, the new chief of the
bureau of entomology in the department
of agriculture at Washington, presided
and read paper on The San Jose
Scale, bug OF peculiar ferocity which
has frequently appeared in this part OF
the country. Prof q. G. Davis of the
Agricultural College of Michigan, read a
paper on The Mealy Bug" which eats
tomatoes and other vegetables and which
was dissected by Prof. Davis and held up
to the admiring gaze of the assembled
scientists Several were young women.
white flannel suit with bug in his but
! tonhole.