524 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1897. 



relic was found, the half of a lower jaw, imbedded in the gravel 

 about fifteen feet below the surface. He announced it with glee, 

 but the jaw met with such an equivocal reception that a mixed 

 English and French commission of expert geologists, archaeologists 

 and anatomists, was appointed to repair to Abbeville and settle the 

 discussion. The result could have been predicted. The committee 

 convened, talked, inspected the gravel pit and went away, each mem- 

 ber being more than ever convinced that his former view was correct. 



This took place in 1863, and for several years there continued a 

 lively debate as to the authenticity of the find, eminent scientists 

 arraying themselves on each side. 



Without referring to other points in the controversy, I shall men- 

 tion only that which attracted Dr. Allen — the anatomical peculiar- 

 ties of the bone. It was argued by those who believed the find to 

 be genuine, that the characteristics of this lower jaw were so marked 

 that it must have belonged to a race of men widely divergent from 

 the present inhabitants of France. It was to this special question 

 that Dr. Allen addressed himself. He divided it into two headings, 

 as follows : 



1. What is the pattern of an ordinary jaw ? 



2. What is the value of the lower jaw in Man, as a test character 

 of race ? 



You will form some idea of the amount of labor which the author 

 bestowed on this paper when I add that in its preparation he visited 

 every important anatomical collection in Philadelphia, measured 

 and handled more than four hundred inferior maxillaries, and based 

 his results on the close comparison of three hundred and twenty, 

 from adults and in perfect condition. 



I have space to give his conclusions only, which are so far-reach- 

 ing and based on such exhaustive observation, that they should be 

 committed to memory by every student of racial anatomy. The 

 first refers to the bone under consideration, and is this: 



" The lower jaw is of little value as a test character of race owing 

 to its wide variations in every race." 



The second is a generalization which bears upon comparative 

 racial anatomy as a whole ; to wit : 



" Any character or group of characters, pertaining to any single 

 bone, lose their value when used in framing general conclusions." 



In the application of the principle here annunciated, lies the aim 

 of most of Dr. Allen's subsequent work in comparative racial an at- 



