42 THOMAS WAYLAND VAUGHAN 



the mineralization of the vertebrate (including the human) bones 

 is discussed by others. 



Conclusions. — As bed No. 3 may be of recent geologic age, the 

 presence of human bones in it does not now need special consider- 

 ation. With regard to the remains in bed No. 2 it will be said 

 that as intrusion into it may have been accomplished either by 

 natural or by artificial processes subsequent to its deposition; the 

 presence of the human remains in it, in my opinion, is not definite 

 proof of their Pleistocene age. However, should it be postively 

 shown that in bed No 3 Pleistocene fossils occur in place above 

 the human remains, showing that subsequent to the death of the 

 individual represented by these remains Pleistocene species belonging 

 to other groups of organisms lived and died, the evidence in favor 

 of the Pleistocene age of the human remains would be conclusive. 

 On the other hand, should it be proved that bed No. 3 is of Recent 

 age, the human remains might be of either Pleistocene or Recent 

 age, and it is doubtful if positive criteria for determining their age 

 will be available unless the needed information is furnished by the 

 human bones themselves. As the accurate determination of the 

 geologic age of bed No. 3, especially that part of it perpendicularly 

 above the human remains, seems to me to be critical, it is my 

 opinion that, for the present, judgment should be suspended. 





