on some fossil remains of man-第6章

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fixed　line；　on　which　the　bones　of　the　sides　and　roof　of　the　cranial
cavity；　and　of　the　face；　may　be　said　to　revolve　downwards　and　forwards
or　backwards；　according　to　their　position。　　The　arc　described　by　any
one　bone　or　plane；　however；　is　not　by　any　means　always　in　proportion　to
the　arc　described　by　another。

Now　comes　the　important　question；　can　we　discern；　between　the　lowest　and
the　highest　forms　of　the　human　cranium　anything　answering；　in　however
slight　a　degree；　to　this　revolution　of　the　side　and　roof　bones　of　the
skull　upon　the　basicranial　axis　observed　upon　so　great　a　scale　in　the
mammalian　series？　　Numerous　observations　lead　me　to　believe　that　we　must
answer　this　question　in　the　affirmative。

The　diagrams　in　Figure　29　are　reduced　from　very　carefully　made　diagrams
of　sections　of　four　skulls；　two　round　and　orthognathous；　two　long　and
prognathous；　taken　longitudinally　and　vertically；　through　the　middle。
The　sectional　diagrams　have　then　been　superimposed；　in　such　a　manner；
that　the　basal　axes　of　the　skulls　coincide　by　their　anterior　ends；　and
in　their　direction。　The　deviations　of　the　rest　of　the　contours　（which
represent　the　interior　of　the　skulls　only）　show　the　differences　of　the
skulls　from　one　another；　when　these　axes　are　regarded　as　relatively
fixed　lines。

The　dark　contours　are　those　of　an　Australian　and　of　a　Negro　skull：　the
light　contours　are　those　of　a　Tartar　skull；　in　the　Museum　of　the　Royal
College　of　Surgeons；　and　of　a　well　developed　round　skull　from　a
cemetery　in　Constantinople；　of　uncertain　race；　in　my　own　possession。

It　appears；　at　once；　from　these　views；　that　the　prognathous　skulls；　so
far　as　their　jaws　are　concerned；　do　really　differ　from　the
orthognathous　in　much　the　same　way　as；　though　to　a　far　less　degree
than；　the　skulls　of　the　lower　mammals　differ　from　those　of　Man。
Furthermore；　the　plane　of　the　occipital　foramen　（'b　c'）　forms　a
somewhat　smaller　angle　with　the　axis　in　these　particular　prognathous
skulls　than　in　the　orthognathous；　and　the　like　may　be　slightly　true　of
the　perforated　plate　of　the　ethmoidthough　this　point　is　not　so
clear。　　But　it　is　singular　to　remark　that；　in　another　respect；　the
prognathous　skulls　are　less　ape…like　than　the　orthognathous；　the
cerebral　cavity　projecting　decidedly　more　beyond　the　anterior　end　of　the
axis　in　the　prognathous；　than　in　the　orthognathous；　skulls。

It　will　be　observed　that　these　diagrams　reveal　an　immense　range　of
variation　in　the　capacity　and　relative　proportion　to　the　cranial　axis；
of　the　different　regions　of　the　cavity　which　contains　the　brain；　in　the
different　skulls。　　Nor　is　the　difference　in　the　extent　to　which　the
cerebral　overlaps　the　cerebellar　cavity　less　singular。　　A　round　skull
（Fig。　29；　'Const'。）　may　have　a　greater　posterior　cerebral　projection
than　a　long　one　（Fig。　29；　'Negro'）。

Until　human　crania　have　been　largely　worked　out　in　a　manner　similar　to
that　here　suggesteduntil　it　shall　be　an　opprobrium　to　an　ethnological
collection　to　possess　a　single　skull　which　is　not　bisected
longitudinallyuntil　the　angles　and　measurements　here　mentioned；
together　with　a　number　of　others　of　which　I　cannot　speak　in　this　place；
are　determined；　and　tabulated　with　reference　to　the　basicranial　axis　as
unity；　for　large　numbers　of　skulls　of　the　different　races　of　Mankind；　I
do　not　think　we　shall　have　any　very　safe　basis　for　that　ethnological
craniology　which　aspires　to　give　the　anatomical　characters　of　the　crania
of　the　different　Races　of　Mankind。

At　present；　I　believe　that　the　general　outlines　of　what　may　be　safely
said　upon　that　subject　may　be　summed　up　in　a　very　few　words。　　Draw　a
line　on　a　globe　from　the　Gold　Coast　in　Western　Africa　to　the　steppes　of
Tartary。　　At　the　southern　and　western　end　of　that　line　there　live　the
most　dolichocephalic；　prognathous；　curly…haired；　dark…skinned　of
menthe　true　Negroes。　　At　the　northern　and　eastern　end　of　the　same
line　there　live　the　most　brachycephalic；　orthognathous；
straight…haired；　yellow…skinned　of　menthe　Tartars　and　Calmucks。　　The
two　ends　of　this　imaginary　line　are　indeed；　so　to　speak；　ethnological
antipodes。　　A　line　drawn　at　right　angles；　or　nearly　so；　to　this　polar
line　through　Europe　and　Southern　Asia　to　Hindostan；　would　give　us　a
sort　of　equator；　around　which　round…headed；　oval…headed；　and
oblong…headed；　prognathous　and　orthognathous；　fair　and　dark　racesbut
none　possessing　the　excessively　marked　characters　of　Calmuck　or
Negrogroup　themselves。

FIG。29。Sections　of　orthognathous　（light　contour）　and　prognathous　（dark
contour）　skulls；　one…third　of　the　natural　size。　　'a　b'；　Basicranial
axis；　'b　c；　b1　c1'；　plane　of　the　occipital　foramen；　'd　d1'；　hinder　end
of　the　palatine　bone；　'e　e1'；　front　end　of　the　upper　jaw；　'T　T1'；
insertion　of　the　tentorium。

It　is　worthy　of　notice　that　the　regions　of　the　antipodal　races　are
antipodal　in　climate；　the　greatest　contrast　the　world　affords；　perhaps；
being　that　between　the　damp；　hot；　steaming；　alluvial　coast　plains　of
the　West　Coast　of　Africa　and　the　arid；　elevated　steppes　and　plateaux　of
Central　Asia；　bitterly　cold　in　winter；　and　as　far　from　the　sea　as　any
part　of　the　world　can　be。

From　Central　Asia　eastward　to　the　Pacific　Islands　and　subcontinents　on
the　one　hand；　and　to　America　on　the　other；　brachycephaly　and
orthognathism　gradually　diminish；　and　are　replaced　by　dolichocephaly
and　prognathism；　less；　however；　on　the　American　Continent　（throughout
the　whole　length　of　which　a　rounded　type　of　skull　prevails　largely；　but
not　exclusively）*　than　in　the　Pacific　region；　where；　at　length；　on　the
Australian　Continent　and　in　the　adjacent　islands；　the　oblong　skull；　the
projecting　jaws；　and　the　dark　skin　reappear；　with　so　much　departure；　in
other　respects；　from　the　Negro　type；　that　ethnologists　assign　to　these
people　the　special　title　of　'Negritoes。'

　　　　＇footnote＇　*See　Dr。　D。　Wilson's　valuable　paper　〃On　the
　　　　supposed　prevalence　of　one　Cranial　Type　throughout　the
　　　　American　aborigines。〃'Canadian　Journal'；　vol。　ii。；　1857。

The　Australian　skull　is　remarkable　for　its　narrowness　and　for　the
thickness　of　its　walls；　especially　in　the　region　of　the　supraciliary
ridge；　which　is　frequently；　though　not　by　any　means　invariably；　solid
throughout；　the　frontal　sinuses　remaining　undeveloped。　　The　nasal
depression；　again；　is　extremely　sudden；　so　that　the　brows　overhang　and
give　the　countenance　a　particularly　lowering；　threatening　expression。
The　occipital　region　of　the　skull；　also；　not　unfrequently　becomes　less
prominent；　so　that　it　not　only　fails　to　project　beyond　a　line　drawn
perpendicular　to　the　hinder　extremity　of　the　glabello…occipital　line；
but　even；　in　some　cases；　begins　to　shelve　away　from　it；　forwards；
almost　immediately。　　In　consequence　of　this　circumstance；　the　parts　of
the　occipital　bone　which　lie　above　and　below　the　tuberosity　make　a　much
more　acute　angle　with　one　another　than　is　usual；　whereby　the　hinder
part　of　the　base　of　the　skull　appears　obliquely　truncated。　　Many
Australian　skulls　have　a　considerable　height；　quite　equal　to　that　of
the　average　of　any　other　race；　but　there　are　others　in　which　the　cranial
roof　becomes　remarkably　depressed；　the　skull；　at　the　same　time；
elongating　so　much　that；　probably；　its　capacity　is　not　diminished。　　The
majority　of　skulls　possessing　these　characters；　which　I　have　seen；　are
from　the　neighbourhood　of　Port　Adelaide　in　South　Australia；　and　have
been　used　by　the　natives　as　water　vessels；　to　which　end　the　face　has
been　knocked　away；　and　a　string　passed　through　the　vacuity　and　the
occipital　foramen；　so　that　the　skull　was　suspended　by　the　greater　part
of　its　basis。

FIG。　30。An　Australian　skull　from　Western　Port；　in　the　Museum　of　the
Royal　College　of　Surgeons；　with　the　contour　of　the　Neanderthal　skull。
Both　reduced　to　one…third　the　natural　size。

Figure　30　represents　the　contour　of　a　skull　of　this　kind　from　Western
Port；　with　the　jaw　attached；　and　of　the　Neanderthal　skull；　both　reduced
to　one…third　of　the　size　of　nature。　　A　small　additional　amount　of
flattening　and　lengthening；　with　a　corresponding　increase　of　the
supraciliary　ridge；　would　convert　the　Australian　brain　case　into　a　form
identical　with　that　of　the　aberrant　fossil。

And　now；　to　return　to　the　fossil　skulls；　and　to　the　rank　which　they
occupy　among；　or　beyond；　these　existing　varieties　of　cranial
conformation。　　In　the　first　place；　I　must　remark；　that；　as　Professor
Schmerling　well　observed　（'supra'；　p。　300）　in　commenting　upon　the　Engis
skull；　the　formation　of　a　safe　judgment　upon　the　question　is　greatly
hindered　by　the　absence　of　the　jaws　from　both　the　crania；　so　that　there
is　no　means　of　deciding　with　certainty；　whether　they　were　more　or　less
prognathous　than　the　lower　existing　races　of　mankind。　　And　yet；　as　we
have　seen；　it　is　more　in　this　respect　than　any　other；　that　human　skulls
vary；　towards　and　from；　the　brutal　typethe　brain　case　of　an　average
dolichocephalic　European　differing　far　less　from　that　of　a　Negro；　for
example；　than　his　jaws　do。　　In　the　absence　of　the　jaws；　then；　any
judgment　on　the　relations　of　the　fossil　skulls　to　recent　Races　must　be
accepted　with　a　certain　reservation。

But　taking　the　evidence　as　it　stands；　and　turning　first　to　the　Engis
skull；　I　confess　I　can　find　no　character　in　the　remains　of　that　cranium
which；　if　it　were　a　recent　skull；　would　give　any　trustworthy　clue　as　to
the　Race　to　which　it　might　appertain。　　Its　contours　and　measurements
agree　very　well　with　those　of　some　Australian　skulls　which　I　have
examinedand　especially　has　it　a　tendency　towards　that　occipital
flattening；　to　the　great　extent　of　which；　in　some　Australian　skulls；　I
have　alluded。　　But　all　Australian　skulls　do　not　present　this　flattening；
and　the　supraciliary　ridge　of　the　Engis　skull　is　quite　unlike　that　of
the　typical　Australians。

On　the　other　hand；　its　measurements　agree　equally　well　with　those　of
some　European　skulls。　And　assuredly；　there　is　no　mark　of　degradation
about　any　part　of　its　structure。　　It　is；　in　fact；　a　fair　average　human
skull；　which　might　have　belonged　to　a　philosopher；　or　might　have
contained　the　thoughtless　brains　of　a　savage。

The　case　of　the　Neanderthal　skull　is　very　different。　　Under　whatever
aspect　we　view　this　cranium；　whether　we　regard　its　vertical　depression；
the　enormous　thickness　of　its　supraciliary　ridges；　its　sloped　occiput；
or　its　long　and　straight　squamosal　suture；　we　meet　with　ape…like
characters；　stamping　it　as　the　most　pithecoid　of　human　crania　yet
discovered。　　But　Professor　Schaaffhausen　states　（'supra'；　p。　308）；　that
the　cranium；　in　its　present　condition；　holds　1033。24　cubic　centimetres
of　water；　or　about　63　cubic　inches；　and　as　the　entire　skull　could　hardly
have　held　less　than　an　additional　12　cubic　inches；　its　capacity　may　be
estimated　at　about　75　cubic　inches；　which　is　the　average　capacity　given
by　Morton　for　Polynesian　and　Hottentot　skulls。

So　large　a　mass　of　brain　as　this；　would　alone　suggest　that　the　pithecoid
tendencies；　indicated　by　this　skull；　did　not　extend　deep　into　the
organization；　and　this　conclusion　is　borne　out　by　the　dimensions　of　the
other　bones　of　the　skeleton　given　by　Professor　Schaaffhausen；　which
show　that　the　absolute　height　and　relative　proportions　of　the　limbs
were　quite　those　of　an　Europe