Evening star., 1912-09-08
TRACE Of EARLYMAN
Researches Made by Scien-
lists in South America.
MANY RELICS COLLECTED
Effort to Discover If Race Preceded
the Indian.

A large collection of specimens bearing
evidence of human handiwork and nu-
mer relics of prehistoric man, have
been received by the National Museum
from South America and will be made
the subject of exhaustive study In the
effort to determine if an autOchthonous
race existed in South America prior to the
development of the Indian tribes Of that
continent. The specimens were found by
DIR. Ales Hrdlicka and DIR. Bailey Willis,
who were sent to South America several
months ago to investigate traces of early
man which have been discovered in va
rious parts of the continent.
The evidence so far found is negative
in character, say the authorities Of the
Smithsonian Institution, at the instance
of which institution Drs. Hrdlicka and
Willis made their investigation, and do
not show with any definiteness that
South America was the home OF type of
man older or lower in the scale of de-
velopment than the Indian races. Nor,
say the same authorities, do the results
show that South America was the cradle
of the Indian races of both North and
South America However. though there
is not sufficient evidence on which to base
the assertion that primitive race existed
in South America, race perhaps evolved
or developed right on the spot, as 1t were.
1
is not true.
Resume of Investigations.
Five years ago the bureau Of American
ethnology published a bulletin on "Skele-
tai Remains Suggesting or Attributed to
Early Man in North America based on
the researches of DR.. Hrdlicka, curator
of physical anthropology in the United
Nofin There iS n.
pear shortly in similar form. under the
title of Early Man in South America
resume of the investigations OF Dr.
Hrdlicka. in collaboration with w. H.
Holmes, head curator Of the department
of anthropology in the United States Ma
tional Museum: Bailey Willis of the
United States geological survey and Fred
Eugene Wright and Clarence E. Fenner
of the geophysical laboratory of the Car
negie Institution of Washington.
Even before the completion of his re-
port on ancient men in North America.
DIR. Hrdlicka became interested in the
evidence bearing on the corresponding
problem in South America, and sCbSe-
quently at the suggestion of Mr.. Holmes,
| he was sent by the secretary OF the
Smithsonian Institution to visit Argentina
for the purpose of making study at
| first hand of the available material and
an investigation of the most promising
| regions.
| In view Of the important position oc-
cuped by geology in studies OF this ma
| ture. Bailey Willis of the United States
geological survey was chosen to accom-
pany DR.. Hrdlicka
| Objects Of the Expedition.
The chief objects of the expedition
were the examination Of the skeletal re-
mains relating to early man, in Brazil
and Argentina: the study of the princi-
pal localities and deposits from which
these finds came; and. if possible, the
collection of osseous, archeologic, and
other specimens bearing on the subject of
mans antiquity. 1t was hoped that thor
ough investigation on the ground would
enable the explorers to form more dennite
conclusions concerning the finds than the
| Literature relating to them warranted,
and that possibly by means of new dis
| coveries additional light would be thrown
| on the whole subject of early man in
The party reached Argentina early in
May, 1910. DIR. Hrdlicka spent two
months I'm that country, while Mr.. Willis
| remained somewhat longer, nearly all Of
this time being given to the the ,a researches mes
greatly facilitated by several OF the local
men of science and the authors express
warm appreciation for the valuable as
| sistance thus rendered.
| During the first part OF the stay IN
/! Argentina, DIR. Hrdlicka devoted his time
to the study Of the available skeletal ma
terial attributed to ancient man. found
| in the various local museums while Mr
Willis examined the various samples of
baked earth and other objects believed
to have been associated with the activi-
| ties of prehistoric man. Several locali-
ties in BLenos Aires where local ex-
posures could be studied. including the
drydock where the 'Diprothomo" skull
had been found some time before, were
carefully examined.
Coast Explorations.
On the 24th of May the party set out
for the coast where important specimens
had been discovered, and a few days
later were joined at Mar del Plata, by
the late Prof. F1orentino Ameghino and
his brother Carlos. who assisted the ex-
petition materially, accompanying DR..
IHrdlicka and Mr.. Willis for more than
three weeks from place to place on the