We do not know the causes
which led to the extinction of these Mammals; but we know that
hardly any Mammalian species has become extinct during the historical
period.
4. The extinct Mammals with which man coexisted are referable in
many cases to species which presumably required a very different
climate to that now prevailing in Western Europe. How long a
period, however, has been consumed in the bringing about of the
climatic changes thus indicated, we have no means of calculating
with any approach to accuracy.
5. Some of the deposits in which the remains of man have been
found associated with the bones of extinct Mammals, are such as
to show incontestably that great changes in the physical geography
and surface-configuration of Western Europe have taken place
since the period of their accumulation. We have, however, no
means at present of judging of the lapse of time thus indicated
except by analogies and comparisons which may be disputed.
6. The human implements which are associated with the remains
of extinct Mammals, themselves bear evidence of an exceedingly
barbarous condition of the human species. Post-Pliocene or
"Palaeolithic" Man was clearly unacquainted with the use of any
of the metals. Not only so, but the workmanship of these ancient
races was much inferior to that of the later tribes, who were also
ignorant of the metals, and who also used nothing but weapons
and tools of stone, bone, &c.
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