386 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 52 



America there have been brought forth thus far tangible traces of 

 either geologically ancient man himself or of any precursors of the 

 human race. 



This should not be taken as a categorical denial of the existence 

 of early man in South America, however improbable such a presence 

 may now appear; but the position is maintained, and should be 

 maintained, it seems, by all students, that the fuial acceptance of the 

 evidence on this subject can not be justified until there shall have 

 accumulated a mass of strictly scientific observations requisite in 

 kind and volume to establish a proposition of so great importance. 



