FOSSIL KEMAmS OF MAN. 143 



ment of a cranium to the general form of the head to 

 which it belonged. 



Nevertheless, in order to neglect no point respecting 

 the form of this fossil skull, we may observe that, from 

 the first, the elongated and narrow form of the forehead 

 attracted our attention. 



In fact, the slight elevation of the frontal, its narrow- 

 ness, and the form of the orbit, approximate it more nearly 

 to the cranium of an Ethiopian than to that of an Euro- 

 pean : the elongated form and the produced occiput are 

 also characters which we believe to be observable in our 

 fossil cranium ; but to remove all doubt upon that subject 

 I have caused the contours of the cranium of an European 

 and of an Ethiopian to be drawn and the foreheads repre- 

 sented. Plate II, figs. 1 & 2, and, in the same plate, figs. 

 3 & 4, will render the differences easily distinguishable ; 

 and a single glance at the figures, will be more instructive 

 than a long and wearisome description. 



At whatever conclusion we may arrive as to the origin 

 of the man from whence this fossil skull proceeded, we may 

 express an opinion without exposing ourselves to a fruit- 

 less controversy. Each may adopt the hypothesis which 

 seems to him most probable ; for my own part, I hold it 

 to be demonstrated that this cranium has belonged to a 

 person of limited intellectual faculties, and we conclude 

 thence that it belonged to a man of a low degree of civil- 

 ization : a deduction which is borne out by contrasting the 

 capacity of the frontal with tfiat of the occipital region. 



Another cranium of a young individual was* discovered 

 in the floor of the cavern beside the tooth of an elephant ; 

 the skull was entire when found, but the moment it Was 

 lifted it fell into pieces, which I have not, as yet, been 

 able to put together again. But I have represented the 

 bones of the upper jaw, Plate I, £.g. 5. The state of the 



