[Annals N. Y. Acad. Scr., Vol. XVI, No. 2, pp. 65-74, March 17, 1905"] 



RECENT JOURNEYS AMONG LOCALITIES NOTED 



FOR THE DISCOVERY OF REMAINS OF 



PREHISTORIC MAN. 



J. Howard Wilson. 



(Read January i8, 1904.) 



There are some subjects which by their very nature enter so 

 little into the Hves of most men that they are almost unknown, 

 and are rarely thought of or studied ; another again, although 

 of great interest to a small group of students and specialists, 

 may not occupy the thoughts of the generality of mankind for 

 the simple reason that the subject is so new, or as a science is 

 still so in its infancy as not to attract public attention. 



Although anything which sheds light on the history and 

 origin of man should not fail to awaken the greatest interest, it 

 is probably on account of these two reasons, that prehistoric 

 archaeology is as yet so little known. 



But prehistoric archaeology has taken its place among the 

 other sciences. Little by little, the longing for knowledge of 

 the human race, far back beyond the beginnings of history and 

 the occasional finding of implements in stone or bronze, made 

 and used by the people of those remote ages, have quickened 

 the interest in the subject, until it has developed into the science 

 it is to-day with its enthusiastic savants and great collections 

 both public and private. 



For a long time, when stone implements were found or 

 ploughed up in the fields, their true nature was not generally 

 known. Often however they were recognized as differing from 

 ordinary stones and came to be accredited with peculiar proper- 

 ties, and made the subject of superstitious regard. In Europe 

 generally, and in other parts of the world, the flint axes were 

 called "thunder stones" by the peasants, who thought that 



65 



