Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-03-08
THE MISSING LINK.

cry VI TelndlHS III Ine lSlhnu VI O"N" %"
affording at least a strong presuml ton
that at last the veritable "missing link
between the higher apes and man has
been brought to light, in fultilment of
the confident predictions of so many
anthropologists.
The discovery was made in 1891 and
1892 near Trinil, in central Java 1t
consisted of part of skull, molar
tooth, and a femur, or thigh bone,
found in the later tertiary strata, and
belonging to large anthropold, or man
like ape. (which ia believed to represent
new genus and family intermediate
between the simiide and momonid@,' or
between the highest order of apes and
men. The tooth and the skull were
found in September, 1891, close together,
on the bank of the river Bengawan,
about three feet below the water level,
in the dry season, and thirty or forty
feet below the plain through which the
river had cut its bed. In August, 1892,
the left femur was also found near by;
but subsequent researches for additional
remains in the neighborhood were un-
successful. Those actually discovered,
however, were enough to convince Dr.
Dubois, a surgeon of the Netherlands
army in the East, that they represented
distinct species and genus, and also a
new family, which he names the 'pithe-
canthropIdp," or ape-men. In memoir
of forty pages. published at Batavia
last year, DIR. Dubois gives IA full de-
scripton of the remains, with illustra-
tons and it is this publication which
forms the basis of the paper by Prof.
Marsh, than whom no man of the scien-
tific world is better qualified to treat the
subject, and critically estimate the
scientific value of the discovery.
In this animal the brain cavity was
absolutely larger, and proportionately
to the size of the body, much more
capacous than in the simiidH, yet less
so than in man. The capacity of the
skull is about thirds the average of
that of man. The development of the
teeth. although somewhat specialized, is
still of the simian type; but the femur,
or thigh bone, is equal in its dimensions
to that of man, and like that adapted for
walking in an upright position. The
tooth. Indicating fully adult, but not
very old animal, differs decidedly from
the teeth of existing anthropoid apes
and the femur, showing the same indi'
cations as to age, "resembles so strongly
the human femur," says Prof. Marsh
"that only a careful comparison would
distinguish one from the other
Prof. Marsh consequently treats the
discovery of DR.. Dubois and the con
illusions he draws from it as of the
highest importance. "They will be
carefully weighed by anthropologist'
of every nation he says. At least, he
aflirms, DR.. Dubois "has proved Il
science the existence of a new prehistoric
form. not human indeed, but in size
brain power, and erect posture muci
nearer than any animal hitherto dis
covered, living or extinct" Ibis dis
tinguished naturalist speaks thus will
the cautions reserve of man of scienc
who waits for positive and cumulatlv
proofs before expressing confiden
opinion on the subject; but we hav
reason to believe that his conviction tina
the discovery of the missing link Ina
finally been made, is much strOnge
than he ventures to declare under tn
restraints of rigidly scientific discus
sion. He does not hesitate to again eN
, press the belief, which he first recorde
. nearly twenty years ago, that sue
missing links existed. and that they wi
be found. The most promising field fo
such exploration, then, seemed to be tn
a caves andilater tertiary of Africa in tn
e Old World, but as large anthropoid ape
E also survive in the East, he is not SUI
e prised that the first announcement of hi
II predictedl discovery comes from tn
volcanic deposits of Java, "where the
|. ancestors were doubtless entombed "a
- der circumstances favorable to earl
h, discovery"
The remains found by DIR. Dubois, au
his learned memoir upon them, const
tute accordingly the most impOrtat
\ addition to the materials of anthropol'
gical science which has been made
many years. and they Will both stint
late scientific discussion and provOk
further explorations to establish beyOn
question the actual existence of I'll
missing link between the ape and maj
- which was so long ago assumed b
I Prof. Marsh as scientific necessity
( Consequently he expresses withou
) reservation the opinion that now "whe
/ zeal for exploration is so great "tl
( discovery of additional remains" {
) "still other intermediate forms ''ma
be expected at no distant day He il
( dictates the tropical regions of bot
) Asia and Africa as the most invItIu
fields for such ambitious exploration