Troc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 22 (N.8.), Pt. I., 19C)9.] 



Art. Vi. — Prelhninary Communication on Fifty -three 

 Tasmanian Crania, Forty-two of tchicli are 

 noiv recorded for tJie Jird time. 



By RICHARD J. A. BERRY, M.D., Ki>in. kt Melb., 

 F.R.S. Edin, F.R.C.S. Kdin., 



AND 



A. W. D. ROBERTSON, M.B., Cii.B., Melb., 



Govei'nment Eesearch Scholar in the University C)f Melbourne. 



[Read nth March. 19(>9). 



It does not, we feel sure, need anv words of ours to emphasise, 

 in a learned Society, the singular importance of the discovery 

 indicated by the title of this paper ; suffice it to say that in the 

 whole annals of scientific Tasmanian literature there has never 

 yet l)een recorded in a sin^-le communication such a large 

 luunber of Tasmanian crania as we have the privilege to lay 

 before the Royal Society of Victoria to-night. 



When we reflect that the Tasmanian aboriginal carried with 

 him into the nineteenth century, even into our own times, the 

 primitive culture of palaeolithic man. and into his bodily 

 organism many of the structural peculiarities of Homo Neander- 

 thalensis, we shall perhaps commence to realise the scientific 

 importance of the study of Tasmanian remains. 



Of the far-reaching significance of the discovery in the 

 twentieth century of the forty- two undescribed Tasmanian 

 crania which it has been our privilege to find during the 

 last few weeks, two lines of proof will suffice: — 



First : The distinguished craniologist, Principal Sir William 

 Turner,'!' in his " The Craniology. Racial Affinities, and De- 

 scent of the Aborigines of Tasmania,'' published so recently as 

 October, 1908, commences his remarks by stating that " the 

 opportunity of collecting additional (Tasmanian) specimens no 

 longer exists." 



