650 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



rope, are shown iu the alluvium of the great rivers, on the shores of which lived our 

 ancestors, having around them a magnificent fauna. Two species of elephants, two 

 rhinoceros, and other animals that appear to have made their rendezvous from Asia 

 and Africa on the territory of France. Secondary, flora to support tlie life of the vari- 

 ous animals, which was made possible by warm and rainy climate. The man of this 

 period is known to us, not by his bones, but only by his industry. We have his imple- 

 ments of chipped stone. The other matter employed in his tools and implements for 

 his weapons were perishable, aud thus have not left any record. The stone was 

 chosen with care for that kind of work for which it was to be employed. They are, 

 more than any, the flint, but in certain regions quartz, quartzite, and sandstone. 

 The instruments have been made by chipping, aud sometimes the first flakes were 

 used aud sometimes the block itself. They were sharpened on their edges and points 

 by retouching, sometimes by shock and sometimes by pressure. It is not possible to 

 distinguish the arms from the tools. The specimens vary much in form, size, and in 

 the finish. Some of them are fashioned with art and delicacy. 



This extremely interesting civilization reigned in a great part of the world. Its 

 vestiges are found in eastern Europe, in the north aud south of Africa, in India, in 

 the United States. The history of the actual savage resembles it in many degrees. 



The second period of the paleolithic age was that of the caverns. The climate be- 

 came modified, dry and cold. The animals who could not live without heat disap- 

 peared. But, on the other hand, we find an abundance of those who remain have 

 retired heretofore towards the colder regions. These are the blue fox, the arctic hare, 

 the reindeer, and on our elevated plateaus the mountain goat, the chamois, and also 

 the siaga or antelope. The plants are recognized as the species which to-day live 

 within the polar circle. The glaciers before and at sundry times have descended or 

 did descend to the plains, and covering to a large extent the valley, now extended 

 amongst the mountains of their actual neighborhood. 



It was during this epoch that Europe became separated from the American conti- 

 nent on the one side and with the British islands on the other. The industry is 

 slowly transformed, and it was at first very like that of the period which had just 

 passed. Then new forms appear. The stones, which until then were chipped on both 

 their faces, were replaced by the flakes detached from the nuclei. One face of these 

 flakes remains smooth and untouched, while the other face was retouched with care, 

 aud thus the implement is brought to an edge and point. These points could have 

 served for spearheads or something similar. Other productions were rather tools, 

 and they are called scrapers or racloirs, such as resemble the instruments of the same 

 kind utilized by savages of the present day, like those of the Eskimo. 



Later still the working of this stone took a marvelous development. The tools are 

 easily distinguished from the weapons. These latter are the spears, lances, or arrow- 

 heads made of the flake or blades of flint, often large aud long, retouched and chis- 

 eled with great care on both their faces. The tools, in general of small dimensions, 

 were already of great variety. The flakes detached from the nuclei and then re- 

 touched became saws, gravers, piercers or perforators, grattoirs or scrapers, and the 

 bones of all the animals were utilized in the same way for the same purpose. Iu the 

 habitation or resting place of the prehistoric people of this epoch thousands of these 

 piecesof flint and of these worked bones are found. The bones, which serve to make 

 the ornaments, pendants, harpoons, arrowheads, needles, and a mass of objects which 

 we can not always recognize the purpose even with all the aids of all peoples who 

 are now in the same level of civilization. 



The shells came from the ocean or the Mediterranean. The rock and the silex or 

 flint were brought from distant beds, testimony of their commercial relations of long 

 voyages whether in pursuit or avoidance of savage tribes or in search of better ter- 

 ritories for game. Our ancestors frequented and inhabited the caverns or the rock 

 shelters on the borders of rivers which furnished abundance of fish. They do not 

 appear to have known any domestic animals in this epoch. The reindeer and the 



