The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-05
NORTH AMERICAN MONkEYs
New Theory as to the Original Diatri-
button of Animals

IN the last summer two Yale scientific
explorers-Dr. J. /. Workman and G. r.
WieIand of the STAFF of the Peabody mu-
scum at YaIe-carried on the most sue
cessful explorations Of the fossil de-
poSirS IN Wyoming that have been re-
ported since the days CT Prof. Q. C
Marsh. Mr.. Wfeland returned TO Yale
few weeks ago after five months
stay in Wyoming. Dakota and Montana,
and brought back with him a consider
able collection Of mammoth prehistoric
North American turtles besides a val
uable collection OF fossil plants which he
found in the eocene beds Of those re-
gi0ns- and which add their proof to the
theory that at one time all the northern
part Of the United States was tropical
IN climate and bore most luxurious CrOp-
zeal plant life The discoveries Of d..
Workman are regarded Of great scien-
tifie value. as he found additional re-
mains OF fossil North American mon
keys
IN a paper which DR. Workman IS soon
TO publish in the American Journal OF
Science his fossil monkey will be fully
described Yale scientists who have
seen the specimens which he brought
back with him from wyoming say with
out reserve that Dr. Wortmanfs discoy-
poTtant archaeological finds OF recent
years
Or. Wortman's colIaborators in pa
iaeOn t0lOgical work at Yale saw that his
led to draw from it will prove the begin
nlnsS OF an entirely new understanding
Of the origin and distribution of NAM
malta on TIE earth While DR.. workman
is to announce this discovery and the
theory ne has drawn from it to the sci
entific world shortly this is the first
announcement that he has permitted to
pc made Of it IN the public press.
The generally accepted position of 20
oicglsts and biologists at the present
day as 70 the origin Of animal life on
the earth IS that It's beginnings are 10
be looked for in the present tropical
zones. that the North American falInae
Drancned cut from the old world fauEae
by migration from their ancestral home
and that man originated somewhere III
the dense tropical regions Of the old
world, Java probably. IL is not toe
much 10 say that if the long series %
lnVestlga tons devoted TO this subject by
LT- Workman prove to be true these
hypotheses OF the scientists will heve 70
be remodeled to a large extent From
tre monkey fossil remains discovered by
Leidy and Marsh some twenty odd years
a@o ard ron the new and conclusive
discovery made by Dr. Workman this
summer. an entirely new and much
more logical theory Is deduced.
The theory of a boreaI origin Of thu
apes, monkeys ana lFnUrs. and IN fact
Of the great ma jCrity Of the mamma liz
supported as il is by the facts in the
possession Of Dr. Workman. and collect
60 10 considerable degree by his own
hands, IS likely. when it IS launched. TO
create a stir in the scientific world. y
expect. of course. great opposition to tl-is
new view at first" said DR.. Wortr1at p.
today. but am sure OF my ground.
and have abundant and incontrovertfble.
evidence IN these fossil remains to
prove it
The fossil remains which have led the
ale scientist to take this advanced no
sltton are those OF the e0ceue monkey
found in rock bed IN the Brsdger basin
+ Of Wyoming. Not larger than a COM
mon house cat. this fossil skull is in al
most a complete state of 0reserva ton.
+ MISUNDERSTANDING its burial in Wyomins,
E York Tribune