586 Animal Biology 



of this method of living, the young were somewhat protected, profits 

 from past experiences were made, surpluses could be accumulated and 

 shared, forces could be combined against enemies, and affections and 

 mutual regards developed. Several family groups combined to form a 

 larger tribe, and tribal groups formed a society, with its inherent benefits 

 and detriments. Naturally, individual and group antagonisms developed, 

 with their attendant consequences. The rise and fall of civilizations 

 have been, and are still, inseparable from the cultures of peoples; that 

 is, from the skillful attempts with which they have kept themselves physi- 

 cally and mentally well, happy, and well supplied with the essentials of 

 life and from the skillful uses that they have made (or should have 

 made) of their surpluses of time, energies, and material things. The 

 uses to which these surpluses are put are more important than the sur- 

 pluses themselves. The progress of human civilization is in the hands of 

 man himself. 



EARLY MAN AND HIS RECORDS 



Early man has left many interesting and valuable records (Fig. 309), 

 by means of which we are able to get an idea of his physical and mental 

 traits as well as his achievements and activities. In many instances 

 rather complete skeletons of early man have been preserved in the depths 

 of the earth's strata. These, together with his implements and tools, 

 form the basis for our knowledge of our remote ancestors. Early man 

 probably did not always bury his dead, so that extremely early records 

 do not date before the Pleistocene epoch (Figs. 320 to 322). The most 

 valuable records of early man date from the early Pleistocene epoch or 

 possibly the very late Pliocene epoch. Many records of early man have 

 been found, but the following are representative: 



Java Ape-Man (Pithecanthropus erectus). — The skull cap, the left 

 femur, and the lower jaw with three teeth were found near Trinil in Java 

 in 1891 by Dr. Eugene Dubois. These remains are also known as the 

 "Trinil Man." It is thought that this type existed during the first glacial 

 age of the early Pleistocene epoch. His cranial capacity was about 

 950 c.c, which is approximately one-half that of an average modern 

 European, but half as much again as that of a large gorilla. His higher 

 psychic functions were limited because of the poorly developed frontal 

 regions of his brain. The centers of taste, touch, and vision were prob- 

 ably well dev-eloped. He may possibly have used speech of some type. 

 The skull cap was very thick and his forehead was low, receding, and with 



