Geology . (Elephus primigenius), with the transverse ridges differ-entially worn, showing dentine in the center, the enamel, which forms the crenu-lated loops, supported by dentine within and cement without. (After Owenand Metcalfe.) Paidopithex, a representative of the higher apes, seems to have leftEurope in the earlier Pliocene. The lower apes (Cercopithecidcc)remained longer, and the Macacns (the Barbary ape) still lives on therock of Gibraltar. The Macacus appears to have had considerable THE PLIOCENE PERIOD. 325 range in Europe in the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene periods,and it is
Geology . (Elephus primigenius), with the transverse ridges differ-entially worn, showing dentine in the center, the enamel, which forms the crenu-lated loops, supported by dentine within and cement without. (After Owenand Metcalfe.) Paidopithex, a representative of the higher apes, seems to have leftEurope in the earlier Pliocene. The lower apes (Cercopithecidcc)remained longer, and the Macacns (the Barbary ape) still lives on therock of Gibraltar. The Macacus appears to have had considerable THE PLIOCENE PERIOD. 325 range in Europe in the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene periods,and it is still the most widely distributed member of its family. Thebest known of the Pliocene tailed apes, the Mesopithecus, left abundantrelics at Pikermi, near Athens. The Mesopithecus was closely relatedto the present Indian Semnopithecus, on the one hand, and to the Macacus,on the other. An allied genus, Dolichopithecus, which lived in France,is interesting on account of its large and long skull. The tropical. Fig. 467a.—Head of Smilodon,—a saber-toothed tiger. Outline restoration, showingthe widely-gaping jaws. (After Knight.) deposits will doubtless tell an interesting story of primate evolutionwhen carefully studied. Much the most interesting discovery of recent date is that of theremains of a man-like skeleton found near Trinil in Java and namedPithecanthropus erectus. The relics include the roof of a skull, twomolar teeth, and an abnormal femur. The form of the last indicatesthat its possessor walked erect, in a sense that distinguished it fromthe apes. The forehead was low and the frontal ridge prominent,and in general the characteristic features were intermediate betweenthose of the lowest men and of the highest apes, as shown in Fig. brain volume was about two thirds that of an average man. Theinterpretation of these remains has elicited much difference of some they are thought to represent a dwarfed and diseased man; 326 GEOLOGY, by others, to belon
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