Dr J. W. Dawson on the Antiquity of Man. 59 



when new facts and conclusions are promulgated ; and the 

 present case involves too important consequences, both in 

 relation to history, and to the credibility of geological proof 

 in general, to escape the most searching criticism. Geolo- 

 gists must bew^are lest their science, at the point where it 

 comes into contact with other lines of investigation, and 

 where its own peculiar methods are most liable to err, should 

 be found wanting, and its reliability fall into discredit. 



But when did the fossil mammals named above really 

 become extinct ? As a preliminary to our answer to this 

 question, we may state that in Western Europe, in the Post- 

 pliocene period of geologists, these animals were contem- 

 porary with many still extant, some of them in Europe, 

 others elsewhere. Pictet even maintains that all, or nearly 

 all of our modern European mammals co-existed with these 

 animals in the Post-p]iocene period, and that consequently 

 there has since that time been a progressive diminution of 

 species down to the present day. The mammoth, Eleplias 

 primigenius, existed, or perhaps began to exist, at a still 

 more ancient period, — the newer Pliocene ; when it was con- 

 temporary with Elephas meridionalis, and other animals of 

 an older fauna. It continued to survive until the introduc- 

 tion of the modern mammals, and then became extinct 

 along with Rhinoceros tichorhinus and several other species, 

 which, however, may have been of younger date than it- 

 self. With these species lived the Megaceros Hihernicus^ or 

 great Irish stag, which lasted longer, but perished before 

 the dawn of history. With them also lived the Bos primi- 

 geMius, or gigantic wild-ox, the aurochs, the musk-ox, and the 

 rein-deer. The first of these existed wild until the time of 

 Caesar ; the second is still preserved in a forest in Lithuania ; 

 the third exists now in Arctic America ; and the fourth still 

 remains in Lapland. With them also co-existed the w^olf, 

 the fox, the hare, the stag, and other creatures still living in 

 Western Europe. 



That these creatures have been disappearing at different 

 times seems certain ; some may have been exterminated by 

 man, but the greater part must have perished from other 

 causes. They may have gone seriatim, or in considerable 

 numbers at or near the same time ; and there seems some 



