1872.] 145 [Perry 
are not able to trace their lineage back to a time so very “old and 
hoary”; that, while there were Aborigines in the land long, long ago, 
the poor Indian was only their remote successor. The shell-heaps, 
the various mounds, the arrow-heads, the stone-hatchets, the earthen 
ware, the utensils used in netting and weaving, with the many other 
implements indicative of human agency, clearly show that not merely 
a race of Indians once occupied New England, but also that human 
beings preceded them, certainly one race, possibly several, some of 
whom were more elevated and refined than the well-known Red 
Men of the forest, who are often spoken of, if not as indigenous to 
the soil, as at least the first inhabitants of the country. 
The survey now made of some of the ground occupied by Prof. 
Dana suggests a few closing impressions. 
For these the way is in a measure prepared, since there have been 
passed in review many of the more prominent points comprised in 
the Post-Tertiary History of New England, as exhibited both in the 
field-book of her hills and valleys, and in the paper under examina- 
tion. Details have been also given with as much fulness as the pre- 
scribed limits of this essay have allowed. Meanwhile such explana- 
tions have been thrown in as have been suggested, either by previous 
studies, or by the present examination of some of the more charac- 
teristic facts. Thus inferences naturally flow from the various 
enquiries that have been in progress. 
In the first place, Prof. Dana’s views of the Post-Tertiary era in 
New England seem to be in a considerable measure partial and in- 
adequate. In the opening paragraph of this paper, reference was 
made to the favorable opportunities he has enjoyed for the geological 
study of the vicinity of New Haven. In examining his contribution, 
I have found repeated evidences of his careful observation of given 
series of facts. Meanwhile there are other points—additional con- 
siderations of no less moment—to be borne in mind. Although the 
minute study of a given neighborhood be of the utmost importance 
as one element toward the right apprehension of geological phenom- 
ena, it still should be remembered that this is only one of the many 
elements needful to a complete view; that it by no means necessa- 
rily brings to light the whole truth ; that by itself alone it almost un- 
avoidably leaves the student in partial darkness, and so with a dis- 
torted understanding of nature. Thus, it is not enough to study a 
single locality and merely explain it according to some “ book- 
theory,’ no matter how profound, how able or learned in other re- 
spects its author may be. So it will not always do for one to inter- 
PROCEEDINGS B. 8. N. H.—VOL. XV. 10 SEPTEMBER, 1872. 
