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PREHISTORIC MAN AND THE PRIMATES by William E. Scheele

PREHISTORIC MAN AND THE PRIMATES

By

Publisher: World

A third volume by William Scheele, director of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, is a scholarly reference work, divided into three sections. First the author compares man and the apes with other primates, pointing out the superior attributes which distinguish the higher mammals. He explains the biological classification of men and gives background on anthropology's uses, goals and methods. The second section pictures and describes other primates -- tree shrews, loris, pottos, galagoes, lemuroids, tarsiers, monkeys and other higher apes. Then he treats of man, first as a primitive, evolving progressively through the stages of the ice age, domesticating animals, becoming finally a craftsman. Maps and numerous illustrations depict anatomical details and categorize the primary racial stocks. Drawings and diagrams, by the author, are black and white, large scale -- more anthropological than decorative. Not for use before high school -- a reference work for the college student, too.