Tasinanian Crania. 53 



168 of which comprise fresh material. If this work is to be 

 attended with the ultimate results that its importance demands, 

 it is imperative that these 212 drawings be published in their 

 original form, and that as soon as possible.^ This for four 

 reasons : — 



1. If the crania be left in private ownership, as the majority 

 of them are at the present moment, they will inevitably, on 

 the demise of their present proprietors, be either dispersed or 

 lost, and there will be no traces of them left. 



2. Publication in life size will render the material available 

 to craniologists all the world over. 



.'). As craniological methods have been revolutionised during 

 the last few years by the discoveries of Pithecanthropus, 

 Neanderthal, Spy, Canstatt, Egisheim, etc., and also by the 

 new investigational inetitods of SchAalbe, Kiaatsch, the Sarasins 

 and others, it is not improbable that another fifty years may 

 elicit still more startling discoveries with the introduction 

 of still more revolutionary craniological methods, in which 

 case these Tasmanian crania may require fresh investigation, 

 which cannot well be undertaken if the present-day material be 

 not imperishably recorded. 



It is not too much to say, in view of these possibilities and 

 suggestions, that all known existing Tasmanian crania, whether 

 in Europe. America or Australasia, ought to be similarly 

 recorded, and thus made available for study in all parts of the 

 world, and for all time. 



4. A fourth and last reason for publication in life size is the 

 fact that all measurements can be made upon the tracings. 



Concerning the question of measurements, we measured all 

 the crania that passed through our hands. Craniologists differ 

 very markedly as to what measurements ought or ought not to 

 bo taken, with the consequent result that thousands of useless 

 figures have been, at one time or another, recorded. Sir 

 William Turner has very properly set his face against this use- 

 less recording of redundant figures, but in view of the fact that 

 the British Association for the Advancement of Science,'^) 

 and, further, a European International Commission,^^) have 



* The Oo\ eninieiit of Victoria has nenerously undertaken the cost of publication of this 

 work. 



