the edge and the interior of the posterior； or occipital； part of the
skull； and shows very clearly the two depressions for the lateral
sinuses； sweeping inwards towards the middle line of the roof of the
skull； to form the longitudinal sinus。 It was clear； therefore； that I
had not erred in my interpretation； and that the posterior lobe of the
brain of the Neanderthal man must have been as much flattened as I
suspected it to be。
In truth； the Neanderthal cranium has most extraordinary characters。 It
has an extreme length of 8 inches； while its breadth is only 5。75
inches； or； in other words； its length is to its breadth as 100：72。 It
is exceedingly depressed； measuring only about 3。4 inches from the
glabello…occipital line to the vertex。 The longitudinal arc； measured
in the same way as in the Engis skull； is 12 inches； the transverse arc
cannot be exactly ascertained； in consequence of the absence of the
temporal bones； but was probably about the same； and certainly exceeded
10 1/4 inches。 The horizontal circumference is 23 inches。 But this
great circumference arises largely from the vast development of the
supraciliary ridges； though the perimeter of the brain case itself is
not small。 The large supraciliary ridges give the forehead a far more
retreating appearance than its internal contour would bear out。
To an anatomical eye the posterior part of the skull is even more
striking than the anterior。 The occipital protuberance occupies the
extreme posterior end of the skull； when the glabello…occipital line is
made horizontal； and so far from any part of the occipital region
extending beyond it； this region of the skull slopes obliquely upward
and forward； so that the lambdoidal suture is situated well upon the
upper surface of the cranium。 At the same time； notwithstanding the
great length of the skull； the sagittal suture is remarkably short （4
1/2 inches）； and the squamosal suture is very straight。
FIG。25。Drawings from Dr。 Fuhlrott's photographs of parts of the
interior of the Neanderthal cranium。 A。 view of the under and inner
surface of the frontal region； showing the inferior apertures of the
frontal sinuses （'a'）。 B。 corresponding view of the occipital region of
the skull； showing the impressions of the lateral sinuses （'a a'）。
In reply to my questions Dr。 Fuhlrott writes that the occipital bone 〃is
in a state of perfect preservation as far as the upper semicircular
line； which is a very strong ridge； linear at its extremities； but
enlarging towards the middle； where it forms two ridges （bourrelets）；
united by a linear continuation； which is slightly depressed in the
middle。〃
〃Below the left ridge the bone exhibits an obliquely inclined surface；
six lines （French） long； and twelve lines wide。〃
This last must be the surface； the contour of which is shown in Fig。 24；
A。； below 'b'。 It is particularly interesting； as it suggests that；
notwithstanding the flattened condition of the occiput； the posterior
cerebral lobes must have projected considerably beyond the cerebellum；
and as it constitutes one among several points of similarity between the
Neanderthal cranium and certain Australian skulls。
Such are the two best known forms of human cranium； which have been
found in what may be fairly termed a fossil state。 Can either be shown
to fill up or diminish； to any appreciable extent； the structural
interval which exists between Man and the man…like apes？ Or； on the
other hand； does neither depart more widely from the average structure
of the human cranium； than normally formed skulls of men are known to
do at the present day？
It is impossible to form any opinion on these questions； without some
preliminary acquaintance with the range of variation exhibited by human
structure in generala subject which has been but imperfectly studied；
while even of what is known； my limits will necessarily allow me to
give only a very imperfect sketch。
The student of anatomy is perfectly well aware that there is not a
single organ of the human body the structure of which does not vary； to
a greater or less extent； in different individuals。 The skeleton varies
in the proportions； and even to a certain extent in the connexions； of
its constituent bones。 The muscles which move the bones vary largely
in their attachments。 The varieties in the mode of distribution of the
arteries are carefully classified； on account of the practical
importance of a knowledge of their shiftings to the surgeon。 The
characters of the brain vary immensely； nothing being less constant
than the form and size of the cerebral hemispheres； and the richness of
the convolutions upon their surface； while the most changeable
structures of all in the human brain； are exactly those on which the
unwise attempt has been made to base the distinctive characters of
humanity； viz。 the posterior cornu of the lateral ventricle； the
hippocampus minor； and the degree of projection of the posterior lobe
beyond the cerebellum。 Finally； as all the world knows； the hair and
skin of human beings may present the most extraordinary diversities in
colour and in texture。
So far as our present knowledge goes； the majority of the structural
varieties to which allusion is here made； are individual。 The ape…like
arrangement of certain muscles which is occasionally met with* in the
white races of mankind； is not known to be more common among Negroes or
Australians： nor because the brain of the Hottentot Venus was found to
be smoother； to have its convolutions more symmetrically disposed； and
to be； so far； more ape…like than that of ordinary Europeans； are we
justified in concluding a like condition of the brain to prevail
universally among the lower races of mankind； however probable that
conclusion may be。
＇footnote＇ *See an excellent Essay by Mr。 Church on the
Myology of the Orang； in the 'Natural History Review'； for
1861。
We are； in fact； sadly wanting in information respecting the disposition
of the soft and destructible organs of every Race of Mankind but our
own； and even of the skeleton； our Museums are lamentably deficient in
every part but the cranium。 Skulls enough there are； and since the
time when Blumenbach and Camper first called attention to the marked and
singular differences which they exhibit； skull collecting and skull
measuring has been a zealously pursued branch of Natural History； and
the results obtained have been arranged and classified by various
writers； among whom the late active and able Retzius must always be the
first named。
Human skulls have been found to differ from one another； not merely in
their absolute size and in the absolute capacity of the brain case； but
in the proportions which the diameters of the latter bear to one
another； in the relative size of the bones of the face （and more
particularly of the jaws and teeth） as compared with those of the
skull； in the degree to which the upper jaw （which is of course
followed by the lower） is thrown backwards and downwards under the
fore…part of the brain case； or forwards and upward in front of and
beyond it。 They differ further in the relations of the transverse
diameter of the face； taken through the cheek bones； to the transverse
diameter of the skull； in the more rounded or more gable…like form of
the roof of the skull； and in the degree to which the hinder part of
the skull is flattened or projects beyond the ridge； into and below
which； the muscles of the neck are inserted。
In some skulls the brain case may be said to be 'round；' the extreme
length not exceeding the extreme breadth by a greater proportion than
100 to 80； while the difference may be much less。* Men possessing such
skulls were termed by Retzius 'brachycephalic；' and the skull of a
Calmuck； of which a front and side view （reduced outline copies of which
are given in Figure 26） are depicted by Von Baer in his excellent；
〃Crania selecta；〃 affords a very admirable example of that kind of
skull。 Other skulls； such as that of a Negro copied in Fig。 27 from
Mr。 Busk's 'Crania typica；' have a very different； greatly elongated
form； and may be termed 'oblong。' In this skull the extreme length is
to the extreme breadth as 100 to not more than 67； and the transverse
diameter of the human skull may fall below even this proportion。
People having such skulls were called by Retzius 'dolichocephalic。'
＇footnote＇ *In no normal human skull does the breadth of the
brain…case exceed its length。
The most cursory glance at the side views of these two skulls will
suffice to prove that they differ； in another respect； to a very
striking extent。 The profile of the face of the Calmuck is almost
vertical； the facial bones being thrown downwards and under the forepart
of the skull。 The profile of the face of the Negro； on the other hand；
is singularly inclined； the front part of the jaws projecting far
forward beyond the level of the fore part of the skull。 In the former
case the skull is said to be 'orthognathous' or straight…jawed； in the
latter； it is called 'prognathous；' a term which has been rendered；
with more force than elegance； by the Saxon equivalent；'snouty。'
Various methods have been devised in order to express with some accuracy
the degree of prognathism or orthognathism of any given skull； most of
these methods being essentially modifications of that devised by Peter
Camper； in order to attain what he called the 'facial angle。'
But a little consideration will show that any 'facial angle' that has
been devised； can be competent to express the structural modifications
involved in prognathism and orthognathism； only in a rough and general
sort of way。 For the lines； the intersection of which forms the facial
angle； are drawn through points of the skull； the position of each of
which is modified by a number of circumstances； so that the angle
obtained is a complex resultant of all these circumstances； and is not
the expression of any one definite organic relation of the parts of the
skull。
FIG。 26。Side and front views of the round and orthognathous skull of a
Calmuck； after Von Baer。 One…third the natural size。
I have arrived at the convict