682 HISTORICAL GEOLOGY 



some suggestions have recently been made which are worthy of con- 

 sideration. Science points, as does the biblical account, to Asia as 

 the birthplace of man. It is evident that the Americas were not 

 populated by man until comparatively recent geological times (p. 680), 

 and that Paleolithic and Neolithic man probably migrated to Europe 

 from some other continent. It is a suggestive fact that all of our do- 

 mesticated animals, with the exception of the llama, the vicuna, and 

 the turkey, had their origin in Asia, and that they are the most highly 

 specialized of their kinds. Moreover, possibly all of the cereals, with 

 the exception of maize, are of Asiatic origin. " Man was born and 

 attained elemental civilization in Asia because there was the place of 

 all others upon the earth where evolution, in general, of organic life 

 reached its highest development in late Cenozoic times." (Williston.) 

 The loss of man's hairy covering is evidence of his origin in a tem- 

 perate, or cold temperate climate, where he found clothing necessary 

 to protect himself from the inclemencies of the weather. 



REFERENCE ON THE BIRTHPLACE OF MAN 



Williston, S. W., — The Birthplace of Man: Pop. Sci. Monthly, Vol. yy, 1910, pp. 594- 

 597- 



Effect of the Advent of Man. — The appearance of man was one 

 of the greatest events in the whole history of the world, not only be- 

 cause, for the first time, brute strength and agility were at a disad- 

 vantage in a struggle with higher intelligence, but also because of the 

 changes which he directly, or indirectly, caused, not only in the life 

 of the world, but also in the very topography of the earth itself. 

 (1) Man has directly caused and is still causing the rapid disappear- 

 ance of many animals : such as the bison, the moa, seal, whale, fur- 

 bearing animals, and the big game of Africa and Asia. (2) In- 

 directly, by the introduction of animals and plants into new regions, 

 he has accomplished as great, or even greater, changes in life. The 

 Introduction of the mongoose into Cuba, which soon destroyed not 

 only the snakes, but the birds that nested on the ground, has almost 

 revolutionized the fauna of that island. The rabbits brought to 

 Australia have overrun that continent, with a marked effect on the 

 indigenous life. The various insects introduced into North America by 

 man are changing the flora of this country. Many other examples 

 might be added. (3) His work has not, however, been entirely de- 

 structive to life. Animals and plants on the verge of extinction have 



