HUMAN REMAINS : DISCUSSION OF THE EVIDENCE. 281 
of prehistoric man in the Coast Ranges has been regarded by some as being 
strongly indicative of the improbability of his existence in the Sierra. But 
this appears to the writer, on the other hand, confirmatory evidence of the 
genuineness of the discoveries in the mining region. It will be made appar- 
ent, in a future chapter, that there are strong reasons — if the past geologi- 
cal history of the Pacific Coast has been made out with some approxima- 
tion to correctness — for believing that man could not have maintained an 
existence on the Coast Ranges any earlier than towards the very close of 
the Pliocene epoch. 
The considerations here adduced, taken in connection with the large body 
of facts which have been presented in the preceding pages, seem to justify 
the belief that it is not possible for any candid mind to deny that the 
human race has existed, during a prehistoric period of great length, con- 
temporaneously with a fauna which has now entirely passed away. That 
man co-existed with the elephant and mastodon and other extinct animals 
has been abundantly proved by the —so to speak— every-day occurrence 
of proofs of his former presence in connection with the remains of those 
animals, at all depths up to a hundred feet or more. To go one step farther, 
and admit that there is ample evidence of the existence of man in California 
previous to the cessation of volcanic activity and to the erosion of the deep 
caiions of the Sierra, will probably be to many persons a more difficult mat- 
ter. And yet, incredible as the facts may appear, it is difficult to see how 
they can be set aside. Leaving out of consideration the Calaveras skull, we 
have such evidence as that of Dr. Boyce and Mr. Hubbs, which appears as 
clear and direct as possible, while it is also amply supported by other reported 
facts from various quarters which it seems in no way reasonable to ignore. 
That a deposit of human bones should be opened in some position clearly 
anterior to the period of the basalt, and remain accessible to geologists 
for an indefinite period, so that they might all go there and dig for them- 
selves, is hardly to be expected, after all that has been stated with regard 
to the gravel deposits in the preceding pages. It is much more likely 
that general belief in the existence of man in California during the Tertiary 
epoch will be brought about by the gradual accumulation of similar facts 
from other portions of the world. The discoveries made in Europe, which 
have already obtained general credence, carry man back close to the verge 
of the Tertiary ; if not, indeed, a little the other side of the line. 
Other facts, which seem equally well vouched for, but which have no¢ met 
