Three Naloo Negro Skulls. 41 



three the lamdoidal suture is most complex, and in that 

 suture are several triquetral bones, but they are found near 

 the junction with the mastoid suture, and not, as is most 

 common, at the union of the sagittal with the lamdoidal. 

 Triquetral bones are thought to be rare in African crania, 

 and Blumenbach doubts if they are found in the crania of 

 any savage races. These small bones, however, are as com- 

 mon in African as in European crania ; and they are also as 

 common in the crania of all savage races that I have ex- 

 amined. 



There are modifications both of the forms and junctions of 

 the several cranial bones. Thus, the sphenoid sometimes 

 does not abut upon the parietal bone, but this modification 

 is of rare occurrence in human crania. In all three Naloo 

 skulls the sphenoid well abuts upon the parietal bone. 



I shall not occupy the time by describing those modifica- 

 tions, because they are not constant ; and, even if they were 

 constant, they would not justify the adoption of the degrad- 

 ing term inferior to the negro race. The term inferior, 

 applied to a race of men, is understood to mean inferior in 

 those intellectual, moral, and religious qualities of mind 

 which give dignity and goodness to character. Before we 

 declare a race to be inferior in that respect, by the pre- 

 sence of any physical peculiarities, I think we ought to be 

 satisfied that the inferiority depends on, and is a consequence 

 of those physical peculiarities. 



The character of a race depends upon its mental manifes- 

 tations, and those depend on the brain. We have all of us 

 witnessed Europeans with prominent jaws maintaining their 

 position in civilized life. We have lately ourselves wit- 

 nessed, in this Society, the talent of the Rev. Mr Hanson. 

 Who is there that has not read of the virtues of Eustache \ 

 And there are ample records of many prognathous negroes 

 who have distinguished themselves, and become brilliant 

 examples of intellectual, moral, and religious greatness. 

 But it is not merely a few superior individuals distinguish- 

 ing themselves from the mass of the negro population, — 

 there is now a large settlement, where civilization is making 

 rapid progress, not by the substitution of a civilized race for 

 that uncivilized one which is fast melting away, but by the 



