Devonian Era in Ohio Basin. — Clay pole. 353 
Speed — nervous activity — we have reason to believe was the de- 
terminant element in the solution of the problem of survival in 
the Devonian seas. The great placoderms like the heavy- 
armoured ironclads of our own day, were unable to cope with 
their more rapid foes and now as then the race may yet be to 
the swift, if the battle is not to the strong. 
( Concluded. ) 
THE LOESS ANDTHE LANSING MAN. 
By B. Shimkk, Iowa City, Iowa. 
The discovery of certain human remains near Lansing, Kan- 
sas, has provoked much discussion* which reveals a difference 
of opinion as to the value of the discovery. The writer has 
nothing to contribute directly to the facts concerning the Lans- 
ing remains, as his knowledge of them and their environment 
was gained at second hand. But an effort has been made to cor- 
relate the Lansing skeletons with the formation of a supposed 
loess horizon, f and the theory of the glacio-fluviatile origin of 
the loess has been resurrected to form the basis of an estimate 
of their age. It is to this that the writer desires to give atten- 
tion. 
Notwithstanding the fact that many trained geologists have 
in recent years been engaged in field work in the loess-covered 
regions of the Mississippi valley, no material facts have been 
added in a dozen years past to the support of the fluviatile the- 
ory, which was formerly generally maintained in this country 
in various modified forms. The recent arguments in its support 
are not based on additional observations and field investiga- 
tions, but are specifically founded:!: upon the great works of 
Chamberlin and Salisbury on "The Driftless Area of the Mis- 
sissippi Valley,'' published in 1885, and that of McGee on "The 
*S. W. Williston, Science, vol. xvi, pp. 195-6, Auk. 1, 1902. Warren 
Upham. Science, vol. XVI, pp. 355-6, Au^. 29, 1902 ; Am. Oeolooist, vol. 
XXX, pp. 135-150, Sept., 1902. X. II. Winchell, Am. Geologist, vol. 
XXX, pp. 189-194; Sept.. 1902. T. C; Chambeblin, S. Calvin, and R. D. 
Salisbuby, Jour, of Geol.. vol. X.. pp. 745, et acq.. Nov.. 1902. Warren 
TJriiAM. Am. Geol., vol. XXXI. pp. 25-34, Jan.. 1903. X. H. Winchki.l. 
Dull. Geol. Soc. of Am., vol. ll pp. v.'.:\ l.vj. Vpr., v.)03 ; Am. Geol, vol. 
xxxi. pp. 263-308, May, 1903, etc. 
tWARREN Upham, Science, 1. c. ; Am. Oeol., vol. xxx, p. 143, etc.; vol. 
xxxi, pp. 25-34. N. II. Wincitell, Bull. Geol. Soc. of Am., vol. xlv, p. 
141; Am. Geol., vol. xxxi, p. 268, etc., May, 1903. 
t See Amkr. Gf.oi... vol xxxi, pp. 26 27; 268; 278; etc. 
