Evening star., 1925-03-20
SAVANTS TOSTUDy
! PREHISTORIC MAN
Hrdlicka Heads Party to
: Asia, lava, South Africa
/. and Australia.

" survey of the primal habitations
Of man and some of the apelike
creatures who are presumed to have
proceeded him in southern Asia, Java.
australia and South Africa viii be
conducted this Summer by the Smith
sonian Institution in co-opera tion
with the Buffalo Society OF Natural
History, in charge OF DR.. Ales Hrd-
hcka, curator of physical anthro-
pology here. DR.. Hrdlicks will sail
w Wednesday. and the trip will require
six months. Fee
DIR. Hrdlicka does not plan to seek
new material. but rather to study the
material found in its natural sur
Noundings In India he will try to
examine all the rich collections OF
paleolithic implements as well as the
skeletal material OF humans and
manlike apes. He expects to visit
fhe Siwalik Hills section, which has
proved q veritahle treasure house for
those digging into the story of the
human race before the day OF written
history.
In the Straits Settlements Dr. Hrd-
lcka will give special attention to
the local collections and will investi-
gate stories of numerous caves exist
ing there, which would be the natural
places where the ancient men would
eave died.
Terrain to BE Examined.
In Java he will study the territory
where the celebrated pithecanthropus
bones were found. This find, which
As declared to represent the earliest
trace of human race on the globe,
Still is subject to considerable con-
troversy. Much light can be shed on
the subject by examinations of the
Aerrain
Java is considered still an almost
Virgin territory for anthropologist
It's great areas still hold the secret
Of what became of the great apelike
creatures which were nearer humans
than any living ape. and which ex-
5sted between 500, 900 and 1000. 900
years ago. DR.. Hrdlicka does not be-
Teve that the present human race is
descended from the blood OF pithe-
canthropus. but rather that this gro
sesque creature OF the tropics was
one of natures experiments in the
ma king of man.
:. In Australia DR.. Hrdlicka expects
70 examine the fossil Talsai skull. in
sddition to some important collec-
lions of more recent skeletal remains
of the Australian aborigines. These
men shed much light on the progress
VT the race after 1T became human,
bringing almost into historic times
Stages in development which in other
Sections OF the world were passed
through much earlier, and hence
Nave become very obscure. Great in
lerest recently has been shown by
Australian scientists in collecting e
these old bones.
= Study OF Rhodesian Man.
In South America an effort will be
made to visit the site of the find of
the Rhodesian man and examine
locally into the circumstances of that
fnd. The Rhodesian man is sup
posed to represent a stage of develop
hent reached from 100000 to 500, 900
years ago and represented in Europe
Fly the solitary discovery of the
leidelberg skeletal remains. This
would indicate that natures expert
ments in creating man were in prog
ress along similar lines in more than
one section of the globe.
:. He will investigate the report of
recent skeletal find which may
sven predate pithecanthropus. one OF
the early stages in the development
OF something akin to human out of
the great, vanished apes. He will
also investigate more recent skulls,
Rredatins the bushmen and the
negroes, which are expected TO re-
veal much concerning the early days
Of these important races.