220 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
only of the inferior maxillary, in a state of preservation really extraordinary 
according to the observations which have been made, and which we owe to 
the good offices of INI. de Quatrefages. This jaw belonged to an aged man 
of small size ; which would prove that the human race did not possess at 
its origin those gigantic proportions which some hypotheses have assigned. 
The angle of the exterior contour is more open (obtuse) than in modern 
types ; but in examining two Esquimaux jaws, it was seen that in one this 
angle was much more open still, and in the other much less. This is then 
only a character belonging to the individual. A molar tooth, which remains 
in place, appears also more inclined forwards than in ordinary cases ; but 
this fact is explained by the absence of the neighbouring tooth, which had 
been extracted or had fallen out during life ; for the process of ossification 
had taken place, as it always does, in the alveolus. This then again is only 
an entirely individual character. Other important observations which can 
be repeated, or the photographic portrait itself, have given the like result. 
" The discovery of this fossil jaw has given rise to a veritable scientific 
tourney between the French and English savants. If the victory has been 
gained by the former, their adversaries have had the rare merit, in duels 
of this kind, to acknowledge loyally and courteously their defeat. To give 
an idea of the minuteness of the investigations to free the matter from any .1 
doubt which might exist, we summarize some of the curious details which 
have been kindly furnished by Messrs. de Quatrefages and Milne-Edwards, 
jun. 
" After having examined the jaw found by M. Boucher de Perthes, M. 
Quatrefages went to Moulin- Quignon, where he made some cuttings to ! 
study the earth. He caused the quarry to be cleared, and gave in front of 
himself a blow of the pick in its wall (or face) at the height of the bed 
where the discovery had been made. Stones were detached, and amongst 
those which fell was found a flint hache, like those of which we possess 
already numerous specimens. On examining the wall in the gap which ! 
had been thus made, M. de Quatrefages saw then nearly entirely embedded \ 
a second hache, which he detached himself. This, at least, could not have 
been fraudulently introduced, and its presence was a guarantee for the 
authenticity of the human debris found in the same place. Hence the 
learned Professor made his first communication to the Academy of Sciences. 
Dr. Falconer came to Paris, studied the implements and the jaw, and went 
away convinced. However, after some days, and fresh observations, he 
published in the ' Times ' the letter we have read,* and which expresses 
more than a doubt. M de Quatrefages took then the study he had made, 
and replied by new and critical arguments to his confreres across the Chan- 
nel. They decided then they would come to Paris, to undertake, in con- 
cert with the persons that were named, investigations which M. Milne- I 
Edwards had spoken of in his communication to the Committee of Learned | 
Societies. ! 
" Three principal points fjrmed the basis of the doubts of the English I 
Professors, — the nature of the gancjue which enveloped the jaw and the I 
implements, the freshness of the edges of the latter, and finally, the pre- I 
sence of a little sand in the alveolus where the dental artery passes. M. I 
Delesse declared it was impossible for any chemist to counterfeit exactly i 
the material of the ganrjue. This, moreover, Ijad penetrated into the al- 
veolus, and had there deposited itself in a way it was not possible to imi- 
tate. Five implements were found successively in the presence of the 
parties conducting the inquiry, and they allf had the same characters as 
* Printed in our last number, p. 1S9. 
t With one exception, see p. 223. — En. Geol. 
