FOSSIL MAN. 269 



found specimens, where they have been discov- 

 ered in such abundance as to plainly indicate the 

 former sites of camps or villages. If such lo- 

 calities are really pre-Indian in origin, then it re- 

 mains but to consider the fate of this earlier peo- 

 ple ; but, before indulging in speculation, what of 

 the facts ? The results of my labors may be 

 summed up in a brief account of a visit to one lo- 

 cality ; for all subsequent and preceding visits to 

 distant points resulted similarly. 



In two instances, collections which I studied 

 were of such magnitude, and had been brought 

 together with such care, that they had a decided 

 bearing upon the question. The particular fields 

 from which the great bulk of the specimens had 

 been taken were studied most carefully, and it 

 soon became evident, in each case, that the re- 

 ported commingling of all forms of stone imple- 

 ments was more apparent than real. The phys- 

 ical geography of each locality plainly showed 

 that for a very protracted period these spots had 

 been habitable and inhabited. It was evident, in 

 each case, that a very undulating surface had ex- 

 isted, through which meandered a small stream 

 that had long since disappeared. These areas 

 of hillock and dale had been densely wooded, 

 with here and there a little clearing ; and now, 

 for nearly two centuries, plowed over almost ev- 

 ery year. What, then, should we expect, presum- 



