hrdliCka] stone industries OF THE ARGENTINE COAST 111 



Field Observations 

 worked stones of reputed geologic antiquity 



The exploration, the results of which will be given in the following 

 pages, was undertaken with eager expectations. Ameghino's publi- 

 cations on the strange ancient "split-stone" industry and on other 

 finds from this very little loiown coast region, his personal informa- 

 tion and enthusiasm on the subject, and the unquestionably peculiar 

 characteristics of the archeologic specimens seen in his collection, 

 impressed the writer considerably. It was soon recognized that all 

 that was written or said on the subject could not be accepted, but 

 the bulk of the data seemed of such importance that the visit to 

 the regions which yielded the highly interesting specimens, especially 

 in company with a geologist of experience, and with the promised 

 presence of Professor Ameghino himself, was entered on with keen 

 anticipations. 



So far as collecting evidence and numerous specimens are concerned, 

 the work was fortunate from the start; and, as time progressed, fact 

 after fact appeared which threw light on the problems investigated 

 different from and much more simple than that in which they were 

 seen before. This was by no means changed later by the presence of 

 Srs. Florentine and Carlos Ameghino, and the final conclusions reached 

 by the Smithsonian expedition are completely at variance with the 

 opinions held by these gentlemen. 



The coast of Argentina, especially that of the Province of Buenos 

 Aires, presents certain characteristic physical features found only 

 rarely in other localities. 



It is readily seen that the present coast line is very recent, that 

 it is continually being changed by the action of the sea, and that a 

 thousand years ago (not to speak of any greater length of time) it 

 must have been much farther out, beyond the shallows that remain. 

 As to the location of the coast line in the Pleistocene, or even earlier, 

 there is no indication. 



The flat or undulating surface of the interior, covered with sward, 

 extends in some parts close to the sea, there ending abruptly in a 

 more or less vertical wall or barranca. These bluffs, which range in 

 height from 2 or 3 to more than 70 feet, are the result of the com- 

 bined action of the sea wash and the crui ibling down of masses of 

 earth from the land facing the ocean. 



At other points, parts of the surface of the land near the sea have 

 been deprived by wind and water of the black vegetal soil and present 

 smaller or larger barren, grayish stretches^ in some instances sloping 

 toward the sea, covered in varying degrees with sand, debris of 

 tosca,^ stones, triturated shells, etc. The denudation by the elements 



1 Calcareous concretionary formation occurring at various depths in ihe loess; caliche. 



