4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. (i7 



Africa, Belgium Congo, Rec'd. 1923, Benj. Burbridge." It is the skull 

 of a large adult and is in good condition. The specimen is definitely 

 asymmetrical, though not to a startling degree. The cause of this was 

 due either to an injury to, or a diseased condition of, the right side of 

 the head at a sufficiently^ early age so that the bones were still plastic. 

 It may be mentioned that a slight, chalky deposit upon some parts 

 of its surface is probably attributable to the method of cleaning 

 rather than to a pathological condition of the bone. Direct indica- 

 tions of abnormality are as follows : 



(a) A scarred condition and marked lateral shortening of the right 

 mastoid, as well as of the neighboring exoccipital (measurements, 

 foramen magnum to lateral extremity of mastoid; left, 72.2; right, 

 59.5 mm.) 



(b) A malformation, encircling the right jugular foramen, of the 

 petrous portion of the temporal and adjacent portions of the basioc- 

 cipital. 



(c) A marked deformity of the inferior wall of the right auditory 

 meatus, including some change in the part of the squamosal immedi- 

 ately above, resulting in an enlargement of this passage and a lateral 

 shQrtening of its inferior wall. 



(d) An alteration in the condition of the right glenoid fossa, dam- 

 age to, and partial restoration through healing of, the postglenoid 

 process, and a pitted condition of the surface immediately craniad 

 of the fossa. 



(e) A shortening of the right condyloid neck of the mandible, with 

 alteration in the shape, and pitting of the articular surface, of the 

 condyle. 



(/) The absence of the lower left canine, with complete healing 

 and filling in with bony tissue of its alveolus. 



(g) A recession of the alveolar margins and septa between some of 

 the teeth. 



The possible causes of these results should first be considered. 

 Healing of all malformed parts has been complete. There are now 

 no signs of old fractures and there is little evidence from which to 

 decide whether the conditions are the result of disease or of an acci- 

 dent. If they be due to disease, then this is most probably the 

 result either of a severe abscess, an infection of a local wound origi- 

 nally slight, or improbably to some true disease of the bone. If the 

 original injury were due to an accident, then this was caused either 

 by a bullet, which I am inclined to doubt, by a native arrow or 

 spear, or the piercing of the fleshy parts by a sharp stick or stone 

 during a fall from a considerable height. Even though the theory 

 of an accident be accepted, then severe, local infection most probably 

 followed. 



