PLEISTOCENE OF EUROPE, NORTH AFRICiV, AND NORTH AMERICA 497 



the fauna of which is described above (p. 476). The weiglit of this evidence 

 may be estimated from tlie opinions of Putnam (1905) and of J. C. Merriam 

 (1906) cited below. 



Human implements and extinct mammals. — None of the early reports of 

 association afford unequivocal evidence: the arrowheads found by Koch 

 in 1839 in association with the bones of mastodon, those reported by Mer- 

 cer, those in the sulphur spring at Afton (Indian Territory), all appear to 

 be cases of accidental association. The flints 

 and obsidian artifacts found in Fossil Lake, 

 Oregon, with the mammals of the Equus fauna 

 are also apparently an entirely superficial 

 association. 



The most important case of association of 

 an arrowhead with an extinct species of bison 

 is that reported by Williston.^ As above 

 described (p. 464), miderneath the scapula of 

 an extinct species of bison {B. occidenialis) an 

 arrowhead was found imbedded in the matrix, 

 but touching the bone itself. The arrowhead 

 must have been within the body of the animal 

 at the time of death or lying on the surface 

 beneath its body. At no great distance from 

 this point bones of the elephant {E. columbi) 

 have been found in the same material, namely, 

 in the widespread upland marl which covered 

 these skeletons. 



Russell - describes the discovery of a spear- 

 head in the 'upper lacustral clays' of the 



Lahontan basin as follows: ''The fossil from the Lahontan Basin, which 

 will probably be considered by both geologists and archaeologists as of 

 the greatest interest, is a spearhead of human workmanship. This was 

 obtained by Mr. McGee,^ from the upper lacustral clays exposed in 

 the walls of Walker River Canon, and was associated in such a manner 

 with the bones of elephant or mastodon, as to leave no doubt as to their 

 having been buried approximately at the same time. Both are genuine 

 fossils of the pre-Lahontan period. The spearhead is of chipped obsidian, 

 and is in all respects similar to many other implements, commonly found 

 on the surface, throughout the far West." 



The most recent of these associations is the alleged evidence of man's 



Fig. 218. — Flint arrow-head 

 discovered under skeleton of Bison 

 antiquus in the Pleistocene of 

 Kansas. After Williston. 



1 Williston, S. W., An Arrow-head found with Bones of Bison occidentalis Lucas, in western 

 Kansas. Amer. GeoL, Vol. XXX, Nov., 1902, pp. .313-.315. 



^ Russell, I. C, Geological History of Lake Lahontan. A Quaternary Lake of North- 

 western Nevada. Monogr. U.S. GeoL Sure., Vol. XI, 188.5. 



' W J McGee, the well-known geologist and ethnologist. 

 2k 



