BY JIRITZ iNiOETIilNlG, M.A., Ph.D., ETC. 277 



being of the Fagnien period, though his body was in evo- 

 lution equal to the human beings of the Magdalenien or 

 even a later period. Could we accept the theory that 

 evolution of body does not necessarily go hand in hand 

 with the evolution of brain — and I see no way out of it 

 in face of the above facts — the problem of the evolution 

 of the human race would appear in quite a new light. 

 What agency was it that reacted on the brain of a race 

 still lower than the homo mousteriensis Hauseri to make 

 inventions that the much higher developed Tasmanian 

 could never make; he practically stood at the threshold 

 of the door, but never took the step to enter it. 



It cannot be the insular isolation alone that prevented 

 a higher evolution of the Tasmanian race. If the struggle 

 for existence were really the moving agency, the Tas- 

 manians should have reached a much higher stage. Their 

 life was a pretty precarious one; during the winter time 

 the temperature was pretty cold; food was not over 

 common — at least it took a good deal of work to procure 

 the necessary supplies ; there were frequent feuds between 

 the different tribes. All this created a hard struggle for 

 existence; yet we do not see that the intelligence of the 

 race made the slightest step forward. 



I do not quite see that it can have been the ice, as 

 some scientists assume, that is responsible for the evolu- 

 tion of the human race. For an almost immeasurable 

 time — that is to say from the oligocene past the second 

 glacial period, the evolution of the human beings re- 

 mained stationary at the archaeolithic stage. There is no 

 difference between an implement from the Mesvinien or 

 the Fagnien industries. Then suddenly an impetus was 

 given right between two glacial periods, and ever since 

 that impetus was given the evolution of the stone imple- 

 ments progressed — slowly at first, but quicker and 

 quicker afterwards. 



The Aurignacien industry produced certain kinds of 

 implements, rather long and narrow, that appear charac- 

 teristic of it. The exact counterpart of these knives 

 occurs among the tronattas. I have in my collection 

 some fine specimens which are absolutely undistinguish- 

 able in shape and finish from Aurignacien specimens. 

 The next stage — the Solutreen — which is characterised 



