The reprinting of the "Antiquity of Man" is particularly
appropriate at the present time, owing to the increased attention
drawn to the subject by recent discoveries. Ever since the
publication of the "Origin of Species" and the discussions that
resulted from that publication, the popular imagination has been
much exercised by the possible existence of forms intermediate
between the apes and man; the so-called "Missing Link." Much has
been written on this subject, some of it well-founded and some very
much the reverse. The discovery of the Neanderthal skull is fully
described in this volume, and this skull is certainly of a low
type, but it is more human than ape-like. The same remark applies
still more strongly to the Engis skull, the man of Spy, the
recently discovered Sussex skull, and other well-known examples of
early human remains. The Pithecanthropus of Java alone shows
perhaps more affinity to the apes. The whole subject has been most
ably discussed by Professor Sollas in his recent book entitled
"Ancient Hunters."

The study of Palaeolithic flint implements has been raised to a
fine art. Both in England and France a regular succession of
primitive types has been established and correlated with the gravel
terraces of existing rivers, and even with the deposits of rivers
no longer existing and with certain glacial deposits. But with all
of these the actual bodily remains of man are comparatively scanty.
From this it may be concluded that primitive methods of burial were
such as to be unfavourable to the actual preservation of human
remains. Attempts have also been made to prove the existence of man
in pre-glacial times, but hitherto none of these have met with
general acceptance, since in no case is the evidence beyond doubt.