The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03

An investigation relative to the con-
temporaneous existence of man with the
mastodsa Americanus. mylodon. and sew
eraI other prehistoric animals, which
science has hitherto regarded as antedat-
Ing the first appearance OF human beings
upon earth, has just been concluded by
Prof Thomas Wilson, of the Smithsonian
Institution.
| The specimens which rendered the in
vestigation possible belong to the Museum
| OF the Academy Of Natural Sciences. Phil
| adelphia. They were discovered by DR..
| Dickson. Of Philadelphia. and consist of
bones Of several long extinct animals dat
ing. in all probability. to period several
hundred thousand years ago. Among them
is the thigh bone Of human subject. The
find was made at the foot OF bluff, in
the vicinity of Natchez, Miss. DR.. Dicke-
son. in his description OF the bones. says:
1.-THE stratum that contained these or
ganic remains is tenacious blue clay
that underlies the diluvial drift east OF
Natchez. and which diluvial deposit
abounds in bones and teeth OF the mas
todon giganteum; that they could not have
drifted into the position in which they
were found Is manifest from several facts:
first, that the plateau of blue clay Is not
appreciably acted on by those causes that
produce ravines in the superintendent di-
luvium; second, that the human bone was
found at least two feet below the three OF
the megalonx, all of which. judging fro-a
the position or proximity of their several
parts, had been quietly deposited in this
locality independent of any active current
or any other displacing powers. and last,
because there Is no mixture OF diluvial
drift with the blue clay. which latter re-
tains its homogeneous character equally in
the higher parts which furnished the ex-
tinct quadrapeds and in the lower part
which contained the remains Of man."
These specimens were made the subject
Of investigation by the great English
scientist, Sir Charles Lyell, and af-
terward by DR.. Joseph Leidy. the latter
having published a memoir with illustra-
lions of the human bone in the ''Transac-
tions Of the Wagner Free Institute of Sci
ence," vol. 2, page Q. He says: 1T differs
in no respect from an ordinary average
specimen Of the corresponding recent bone
Of man."
DR.. Leidy says LyelI expressed the opin-
have been contemporaneous with those Of
the extinct animals with which 1t has been
found. he thought it more probable that
1t had fallen from one of the Indian graves
and had become mingled with the older
fossils which were dislodged from the
deeper part Of the cliff, and DR.. Leidy
adds: in the wear of the cliff the upper
portion, with the Indian graves and hu-
man bones, would be likely to fall frs,
Ill
fossils, subsequently on the latter"
Although DR.. Leidy testified to the gen.
eral similarity Of appearance Of the human
with the other bones. it does not seem to
have occurred to him to have them an
alyzed," says Prof. Wilson. Remember
ing the story told by the analysis and con-
sequent comparison Of the Caleveras skull
with that of the rhinoceros skull found in
a formation corresponding in age, though
in different locality. and of the fact ap-
parent therefrom that the CaIeveras skull
was in an equally advanced stage of fos-
5ilization as the rhinocercs skull. deemed
it wise to make an examination and test
by analysis. To this end l applied to
Prof. Angelo Heilprin, and through him
to the authorities of the Philadelphia
Academy, SO a few months since speci-
mems certified by Prof. Heilprin have
been taken. one from the bone of the
of the mylodon, choosing those which, for
size. texture. and general appearance,
bore the greatest likeness one to the
other.
These were submitted by me to Prof.
F. W. Clarke. chemist Of the United States
Geological Survey. on duty at the National
who has just returned the result
Of his analysis. which proved conclusively
that the human bone is in higher state of
than is that of the mylodon.
It has less lime ard more silica. In their
other chemical constituents they are with
put any great difference. I am well aware
Of the ordinary uncertainty of this test
when applied to specimens from different
localities and subjected to different conii-
tons. but in the present case no such Diff
'erences exist. The bones we're al encased
IN the same stratum Of blue clay. and were
subjected practically to the same conditions
ard surroundings.
las one swallow does not make a sum-
ner. so tie discovery OF one specimen does
lot prove the antiquity of man. We should
proceed in the same direction to discover
,ther evidences. to investigate the value
VI those already found: and as they ac-
emulate. each one or all together should
'e given their fair value. in the erdeavor
o arrive at a truthful conclusion irde-
endent of priori theory or preconceiveI
dea.'