HRDLifKA] SKELETAL REMAINS OF EAELY MAN 319 



was in digging out tliis additional basin that the skull was encountered. 

 Accordingly, the latter lay at the depth of 11 m. below the bed of the 

 stream, 12.86 m. below the ordinary level of the water at low tide, 

 or 32 m. below the star on the portico of the Buenos Aires Cathedral. 

 . . . AU the information concerning the position of the skull has 

 been furnished me by Mr. Edward Marsh Simpson, engineer and 

 representative in Buenos Aires of the house of Charles H. Walker & 

 Co., of London, the constructors of the port" (p. 108). 



Professor Amegliino concludes from the information obtained from 

 Mr. Simpson alone that the fragments of the skull came from the 

 lower portion of the rudder-pit in Dry Dock No. 1 and from beneath 

 tosca} He states further, however (p. 121), that beneath the tosca 

 was found a laj^er of quartzy sand followed by a stratum of gray 

 clay, and that it was in this layer of gray clay, 50 cm. below the floor 

 of the dry dock, that the skull-cap of the Diprothomo was discovered. 



The foregoing are rather meager details concerning a specimen of 

 so great importance. In consequence, the first endeavors of the 

 writer and his associate, Mr. Willis, after reaching Buenos Aires, 

 were to locate Messrs. Simpson and Junor as well as any others who 

 might be able to give firsthand information, and to learn if possible 

 additional particulars. 



As good fortune would have it, botli Mr. Simpson and Mr. Junor 

 were found in Buenos Aires and both consented, very kindly, to tell 

 what they knew in regard to the skull; and through these gentlemen 

 it became possible to locate another person concerned in the find, 

 namely, Mr. J. E. Clark, now of Bahia Blanca, the foreman of the 

 laborers who discovered the specimen. 



The results of the inquiry, however, proved in a large degree dis- 

 appointing. The evidence is very largely indirect and, as 16 years 

 have elapsed since the date of the find, during 15 of which no inquiries 

 about it were made, the details, possibly even some important 

 points, have been forgotten or have become obscured. This state- 

 ment applies especially to the exact conditions at the rudder-pit and 

 to facihties that might have existed for the transportation thither, 

 accidentally or voluntarily, of the skull fragment. 



Mr. Simpson stated that the find of the bones was made by the work- 

 men; he was told there were more than one skull but neither he nor 

 any other official of the firm was at the dock at the time of the fijid, 

 nor was any investigation of the matter made. Mr. Simpson had 

 nothing to do with the piece of skull or any other parts, made no 

 examination of the spot, saw nothing of the specimen until after it 

 was placed in the museum, and can not vouch for any statement 

 made in connection with the discovery. He told Professor Ameghino 



1 Term applied, as explained before in this work, to calcareous sedimentary strata or concretions, in 

 various stages of development, within the loess. 



