﻿NO. I SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I925 63 



former include a whole series of specimens of great and lesser fossil 

 apes from the Siwaliks some of which are not yet described ; and 

 numerous " paleolithic '' stone implements from Madras. There is 

 also now exhibited in the Museum an interesting collection of the 

 antiquities gathered recently by the Archaeological Survey of India 

 under Sir John Hubert Marshall, which belong to the oldest advanced 

 culture (about 3000 B. C. ?) as yet discovered in India. 



From Calcutta the journey led to Madras, where Dr. Hrdlicka 

 wished to inspect the collections, and to see what could be learned of 

 traces of the Negrito in the Indian population. One of the biggest 

 problems in anthropology is the presence of the Negrito in the 

 Philippines, the Andamans, and elsewhere in the far southeast. He 

 is there — a clear but enigmatic type, without connection now in any 

 direction. His nearest relatives are apparently the Pygmies of Cen- 

 tral Africa, but a great unbridged space has till now separated the 

 two. The problem is — how did the Negrito get to his present homes ? 

 If he extended from Africa, he must have left traces of his passing 

 in Arabia and India, from which, however, there has hitherto come 

 no clear evidence of his presence. Such traces, so far at least as the 

 Indian coast lands are concerned. Dr. Hrdlicka became satisfied do 

 exist. They occur in Parganas (northwest of Calcutta), in at least 

 one area along the eastern coast, here and there among the Dravidians, 

 and along larger parts of the western coast, more especially in the 

 Malabar Hills. This brings unmistakable traces of the Negrito a long 

 way farther to the westward and so much nearer to Africa, making 

 his derivation from that continent so much the more probable. 



A great collection of paleolithic implements is preserved in the 

 Museum at Madras.' These implements are similar to those of other 

 parts of India. They are all of one general class, so that there can 

 hardly be a question as to their contemporary origin in the different 

 parts of India, their connection with people of the same race, and 

 belonging to the same though perhaps a long cultural period. They 

 do not show great variety. They resemble some of the paleolithic 

 implements of western Europe, but on the whole cannot be associated 

 with any one of the European cultural periods. In certain parts of 



* Dr. Hrdlicka's thanks for help received at Madras are due to Dr. Gravely, 

 Superintendent of the Madras Museum ; to his Assistant, Mr. P. V. Mayura- 

 nathan; to Major Dr. J. A. Cruickshank and Dr. Robert E. Wright, in charge 

 of important Government medical establishments ; and to Mr. Edward S. 

 Parker, U. S. Vice-Consul in Charge at that city. 



