The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-31
MAN AND HIS RELATIVES.

MAN AND HIS RELATIVES.
Plausible sr=e....i>. 9. Earle.
Phases of Humanity.
How the monkey began TO be
man is story that has been worked
out in fascinating scientific way by
DIR. William II. Gregory Of the Ameri-
can Museum Of Natural History, New
York City.
1t began with our very early an
cestor who lived in a tree, like the
gorilla OF today. He was not a sor-
lila; FOR was he of the same species
az any Of the new-existing great
apes But he was near cousin to
those species.
The gorilla, Il fact, !: mans
nearest relative on the earth today.
He is so much like man that In
all likelihood, according to Dr. Greg
DRY, he would IN the course OF ages,
develop into very human sort of
creature If his species were permit
ted to survive Unfortunately, ne
win not enjoy the opportunity, be-
cause his race is being rapidly wiped
ouf,
In him we see a monkey that is
actually beginning TO be man. His
face, his hands, his feet and other
parts of his body structures are very
Ike a mans, and the same is true of
his ears. his eyes, his internal organs
and his brain.
He even spends a good deal Of his
time on the ground. This is the way
our early ancestors began. It was
his first step. SO to speak. toward
abandoning the forest and becoming
creature of the open country, the
plains and the seasfore.
The gortlla's heel ESQ necessary
for proper waIking) already shows
some development, though the big toe
modified for grasping tree branches,
still makes the animal clumsy and
unsteady when standing up.
1, In the same way the ape that would
be a man. and who in a thousand
generations succeeded in that aubi-
ton, started TO leave the sheltered
woods by degrees and with hesitating
steps. He and his wife. the real
Adam and Eve. made their home in
tree-their house sort Of birds
nest arrangement OF branches in a
! suitable crotch, the thick foliage
overhead serving as a. roof
The male, like his descendant Of
the present day, vas a fighting AMI
mai. explains the Washington Post.
He fought with others of his sex and
kind. being provided for that purpose
with huge tusks. We. hts remote
grandchildren, still possess those
tusks, shrunk to small size because
they are no longer useful except for
chewing. We call them canine teeth,
OF eye teeth"
These ancestors OF ours subsisted
on fruits and nuts Even while stiIl
c!inging to the forest, where the trees
ford convenient sleeping places and
safe refuge from the great beasts OF
prey. they probably learned to seek
out the lairs and nesting holes OF
many animals To seize their young,
| incidentally fighting with and killing
the enraged parents. The gorilla to-
! day eats nesting birds and small
rodents.
When the primitive ape-man fsays
Or. Gregory finally gave up the tree
dwelling habit and adopted the life
OF a hunter In the open his hind legs
| (Which. like those of the modern
gorilla, were short and relatively
-eak) rapidly heightened md de-
yeioped. The thigh bone became
longer; the heel 1engthered; the
forearm shortened, and the thumb
grew larger.
| When the spe-man defYniteiy aban.
doned the forests and In interested
regions undertook to contend with
| fierce beasts Of large size and for.
midable character. all conditions fav.
ored the evolution of race OF pow
erfTi and aggressive hunters and
/ fighters. They killed with crude
weapons and tore OF the raw flesh
from the bones with strong teeth and
massive jaws.
| Probably the first tool known to
the ape-man was jagged flint. and
it's earifeat use was to smash the
head of a small animal, to crack and
open tough-husked fruits. or 10 mash
substances into edible condition.
I alter on the flint was employed as a
weapon held in the hand In the
course of time, as spear-head or
arrowhead. II became a missile for
fighting or the chase.
Weapons. says Dr. Gregory. were at
first a stone, or heavy piece OF
ltrec branch suitable for club. II
Twas much later that the descendants
% the ape-fnan learned how to make
crude implements and Instruments
for hunting and fighting out of ready
at-hand materials. The hand axe and
dagger were among the first Of such
instruments.
l From the first. the ape-men were