American anthropologist

American Anthropological Association, Anthropological Society of Washington (Washington, D.C.), JSTOR (Organization)

only possible explanation of these holes is that they are the work of man. The end of the fragment has also two or more slight notches, the margin of which is like that of the incomplete hole mentioned. These also are probably of artificial origin and can hardly be explained by natural splintering of the bone, or as the work of carnivora or rodents.

"We therefore endorse without question Professor Putnam's view that this bone certainly shows the handiwork of man, and we take pleasure in expressing our acknowledgments for the privilege of examining it. [Signed] "W. D. MATTHEW, J. W. GIDLEY.

"AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY,

February second, 1905."

As the musk-ox is unknown in the Shasta cave fauna it is not probable that this specimen represents a bone of one of these animals. There were, however, in these caves abundant remains of the new genus Euceratherium, a large sheep-like animal related to the musk-ox and possessing bones quite similar in form and size. Euceratherium was one of the more common ungulates at the period when the cave deposit was forming and would have served as one of the principal food supplies for early man if he were living in this region at the time. The form of this fragment agrees as closely with that of the distal end of the humerus of Euceratherium as it does with that of Ovibos, and there is good reason for believing that it represents that bone. In the humerus of Euceratherium the foramina are similar to those in Ovibos, and there are no natural openings that correspond to the perforations seen here.

The smaller completely enclosed perforation in the specimen (pl. xv, figs. 2, 3, 4; pl. xvi, fig. 4) is almost circular in outline, is nearly normal to the surface of the bone, and is slightly beveled on the margins. The cutting of the hole and the beveling are not accompanied by much cutting of the natural canals of the bone, but the form and direction of the holes are not comparable with those of ordinary natural foramina.

Close to the smaller perforation is an exceedingly small opening, about half a millimeter in diameter, indicated in the illustrations (pl. xv, fig. 4; pl. xvi, fig. 4) by a bristle. It may represent a natural foramen or it may be artificial; it is difficult to determine its true nature.

S., 8, 1906

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BONE FRAGMENTS FROM POTTER CREEK CAVE

(Department of Anthropology, University of California. Natural size)

1, Inner side of splintered fragment (in the upper end there is a nearly circular perforation); 2, Outer side of the same fragment. 3, Another view of specimen 395), shown in Plate xv. the same.

4, Inne