476 Marsh — On the Pithecanthropus erectus, 



My own conclusions in regard to this discovery, briefly stated 

 in my review, were as follows : — 



"It is only justice to Dr. Dubois and his admirable memoir 

 to say here, that he has proved to science the existence of a 

 new prehistoric anthropoid form, not human indeed, but in 

 size, brain power, and erect posture, much nearer man than any 



animal hitherto discovered, living or extinct 



"Whatever light future researches may throw upon the affinities 

 of this new form that left its remains in the volcanic deposits 

 of Java during later Tertiary time, there can be no doubt that 

 the discovery itself is an event equal in interest to that of the 

 Neanderthal skull. 



" The man of the Neander valley remained without honor, 

 even in his own country, for more than a quarter of a century, 

 and was still doubted and reviled when his kinsmen, the men 

 of Spy, came to his defense, and a new chapter was added to 

 the early history of the human race. The ape-man of Java 

 comes to light at a more fortunate time, when zeal for explora- 

 tion is so great that the discovery of additional remains may be 

 expected at no distant day. That still other intermediate 

 forms will eventually be brought to light no one familiar with 

 the subject can doubt." 



In most scientific quarters, however, both in this , country 

 and in Europe, Dr. Dubois's discovery was not received with 

 great favor, and the facts and conclusions stated in his 

 memoir were much criticised. Among a score or more of 

 notices of this elaborate memoir which appeared subsequent to 

 my review, I do* not recall a single one that, in attempting to 

 weigh the evidence presented, admitted the full importance of 

 the discovery made by Dr. Dubois. The early conclusions 

 seemed to be that' the various remains discovered were human, 

 and of no great age; that they did not belong to the same 

 individual ; that the skull apparently pertained to an idiot ; 

 and that both the skull and femur showed pathological 

 features. — In fact, the old story of the distrust aroused by 

 the discovery of the Neanderthal skull, nearly forty years 

 before, was repeated, although in a milder form. Dr. Dubois 

 has stated in a late memoir that, with the exception of 

 Professor Manouvrier of Paris and myself, no one else, until 

 very recently, regarded the remains as evidence of a transi- 

 tional form between man and the apes. 



It was a fortunate thing for science that the Dutch govern- 

 ment appreciated the importance of the discovery made in its 

 Javanese province by Dr. Dubois, and last summer allowed 

 him to return to Holland and bring with him the precious 

 remains he had found, and so well described. Not only this, 



