1868.] 461 [Wyman. 



statement of Von Baer, that in synostotic crania, the two parietals had 

 but one centre of ossification. The fact that in IV tlie sagittal suture 

 remains partially open at either end, and that in VI the parietals are 

 united for so short a distance, seems to render it quite certain that 

 they were originally separate. 



The height of the crania is much below the average, being only 

 120.6 m. m., while according to Dr. Davis, the average height of one 

 hundred and twenty-eight normal crania, consisting of those of Eng- 

 lish, Netherlanders, Chinese, Negroes, etc., was 142.6 m. m. This 

 fact brings to notice a point which is worthy of careful attention. 

 According to theory, the height of the head depends upon the growth 

 of bone in the lateral sutures, viz.: the spheno-frontal, spheno-parietal 

 and the squamosal. It apjiears that synostotic crania, attended with 

 lengthening, are characterized by insufficient height. Nevertheless 

 the obliteration of the sutures just mentioned is not constant; they 

 are freely open in IV, V and VI, in which the longitudinal deformity 

 is very strongly marked. Why is the compensatory growth only in 

 longitudinal direction, Avhen, as it would seem, the conditions favoring 

 it upwards exist as well. Even in the foetus, VI, the sagittal suture is 

 only partially closed, while all the others are normally open, and yet 

 the lengthening has become extreme. Is it certain that the closing 

 of the suture precedes the deformity, and is therefore the cause of it? 



The average capacity of the adult synostotic crania, 1486 c. c, is 

 somewhat below the normal average (1524 c. c), according to 

 Morton's tables, but only 3 c. c. less than that of thirty-nine English 

 crania (1489 c. c), according to Davis. The average of eight 

 Scaphocephalic crania in Dr. Thurnham's table is 1532 c. c, or 8 c. c. 

 above the normal capacity, according to Morton. There is, on the 

 whole, no marked deviation from the normal quantity. 



6. Neanderthal Skull. 



In connection with synostotic crania we will offer a single remark 

 with regard to this much discussed cranium. Among the different 

 views brought forward to account for its peculiar shape, is that of 

 synostosis, which has been urged by Dr. Davis, and denied by Prof. 

 Huxley. There is one fact which we have not seen noticed in the 

 discussion of the question at issue, though it has doubtless been ob- 

 served, and in which the Neanderthal differs from common synostotic 

 skulls. From what has been stated on p. 460, it appears that in all 

 of the latter, there described, the increased length of the head is 

 chiefly due to the extension of the parietal bones from before back- 

 wards, the frontal and occipital being but slightly augmented. In the 



