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BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



fBDLL. 60 



the discovery of remains of man associated with fossil animals in a 

 cave on the Susquehanna, near Carlisle, Pa.,^ and Leidy made similar 

 observations in caves near Easton, Pa.,- but no assurance is given in 

 either case that the association was such as to lead to the belief that 

 the human and animal remains were of the same period. Like 

 results have followed Mercer's explorations of the Durham cave, 

 Bucks County, Pa.,^ where ample evidence of occupancy by the 

 Indian tribes was obtained, but no trace of an earlier or distinct 

 tenancy. 



Researches in the caves of California, entered upon with the view 

 of determining as far as possible the value of tlie remarkable evi- 

 dences previously obtained from the gold-bearing gravels of that 

 region, have led to no very decisive results, although much 



more may be in store for the future explorer. 



Reviewing the work accomplished in the 



Shasta caves previous to the year 1906, 



Merriam states that — 



The cliaracter of the pointed aud polished bones 

 fisured by Dr. Sinclair in his paper is also difficult 

 to determine with certainty [fig. 40]. These polished 

 fra.sj;nieuts stron.^ly resemble many of the roughest 

 implements found in the deposits of the shell-mounds 

 of the Pacific coast. Possibly they have been rouiih 

 bone splinters, used by man until they attained the 

 degree of polish which we find upon them. On the 

 other hand, it is noted that in nearly all shell-mound 

 fragments the polish is mainly upon the pointed portion of the implement, 

 while the portions not used for active work may be almost without smoothing 

 or polish. In the specimens from the caves the polish is almost perfectly 

 even over the whole surface in every case. The evenness of this polish seems 

 to indicate that, if these objects were used as implements, special pains must 

 have been taken to polish those portions which would in the course of ordinary 

 use be left rough. Sucli smoothing as we see here may j)erhaps be as readily 

 explained by the action of water as by any other means, the fragments being 

 rubbed on all sides and evenly polished. 



In other bone fragments, peculiar perforations and notches have been noted 

 wluch are not easily explained by the operation of natural processes, but 

 which could be accounted for by perforation through human agency. Of all 

 the evidence which has been advanced in favor of the influence of man in the 

 production of implement-like objects fcmnd in the Shasta caves, the evidence 

 of perforation seems probably the strongest. A serious doubt must exist, 

 however, as to whether the presence of only a few somewhat indefinite per- 

 forations in a very small number out of several thousand of these fragments 

 should be considered proof of the presence of man. Had a large percentage 

 of the fragments been formed and used by man, evidence of a more definite 

 character ought to be present in abundance. 



' Biiird, Bone Cav<>s of Pennsylvania, p. 355. 



-Leidy, Fossils in Caves of tlie Limestone Roeks of Pennsylvania, p. 3. 



3 Mercer, Exploration of Durham Cave, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, p. 149. 



Fig. 40. Implement-like bits of 

 bone from a California cave. 



