FOSSIL APE REMAINS

Evening Star, Issue 18513, 21 December 1923, Page 6

FOSSIL APE REMAINS

MAN’S “GREAT UNCLE.” Professor J, Howard M’Gregor, of the department of zoology of Columbia University, back at his laboratories after a visit to Europe for the purpose of examining the fossil remains of the man-ape which were discovered on the island of Java some years ago, has announced that the fossil should be regarded as a sort of great uncle to mankind, but not, however, as a direct progenitor. This view - differs from that of the discoverer, who has held that the bones were those of an ape rather than of a man. The remains, by common consent of students of such matters, are about 500,000 years old. The fossils were 'discovered at Trinil, Java, by Professor Eugene Dubois, of the University of Amsterdam. They are at present m the Tayler Museum, near Amsterdam, and so carefully have they been guarded that tho privilege of examining them has been accorded to date only to a few scientists and others specially interested in, matters of evolution. Permission for Professor M’Gregor to study the fossils was obtained from the Hutch university in advance through Professor Henry Fail-field Osborn, of the American Museum of Natural History. Discussing his study of the fossils at the museum, Professor M’Gregor said : “It is well known, of course, that these fossils, discovered by Professor Dubois in Java in 1891-92, comprise the upper threefifths of the cranium or brain case, a left femur or thigh bone, and two molar teeth. A pre-molar tooth, found later, may or may not belong to the same individual, but there is strong reason to believe that all the other remains are parts of ’he same skeleton.

“I believe, in contradistinction to the opinion of Professor Dubois, that the apeman was nearer man than ape. At any rate, it is more manlike than any ape and more apelike than any man. “The Java remains are about 500,000 years old. This is the date set by common consent, and I have no fault to find with it. The ape-man skull bears no relation to other well-Icnown remains such as the Piltdown, the Neanderthal, and the Cro-Magnon. The first of these dates from about 100,000 years ago, the .-econd about 75,000 years, and the third' is only about 25,000 years old. They are very clearly man types, and should not be confused with the discovery made by l J to fessor Dubois. Professor Dubois is doubtful whether h.s find had the power of speech, but Dr Elliot Smith, a noted neurologist of the University of London, is convinced, after a prolonged study, that this was so.”