12 Kansas academy of science. 



himself. A striking feature of the human skull is the prominence of the inferior 

 margin of the lower jaw in front — i. e.. the presence of the 'chin.' This feature is 

 quite wanting in even the highest anthropoidpe. A more or less developed chin ex- 

 ists, however, in some lower forms, as the siamang, although no other ape or lemur 

 shows a similar condition. Another marked human cranial character is the projec- 

 tion and transverse convexity of the bones of the nose. This convexity is quite 

 absent in the chimpanzee and in most gibbons. In the orang these bones are ex- 

 ceedingly small and flat, often even uniting into one bone or with the adjoining jaw- 

 bones, if indeed they are not altogether absent. In the gorilla they are slightly con- 

 vex transversely at their upper part, so that here we seem to have evidence of the 

 predominant afhnity of the gorilla to man. Further examination, however, shows 

 that this character can have no such meaning, since a still more decided convexity 

 is found to exist in some Semnopitheci, and even in the lowest baboons. In the 

 latter the nasal bones only become more convex toward maturity, being at first flat. 

 Now it is not the chimpanzee, certainly not the gorilla, nor yet the gib- 

 bon, which most resembles man as regards his brain. In this respect the orang 

 stands highest in rank. The height of the orang's cerebrum in front is greater in 

 proportion than either the chimpanzee or gorilla, while the brain of the latter is be- 

 low that of the chimpanzee; so that this much-lauded ape is inferior to both the 

 orang and the chimpanzee. The simian's faith is at fault, and the pretender gorilla 

 must abdicate in favor of two better claimants at least." 



Professor Huxley says ("Man's Place in Nature") : "In the gorilla the face, 

 formed largely by the massive jawbones, predominates over the brain case; in man 

 the proportions of the two are reversed. In man the surface of the skull is smooth, 

 and the superciliary ridges or other prominences usually project but little, while in 

 the gorilla vast crests are developed upon the skull, and two strong ridges overhang 

 the cavernous orbits like great penthouses. Sections of skulls show, however, that 

 some of the apparent defects of the gorilla's cranium arise in fact not so much from 

 deficiency of brain case as from excessive development of parts of the face. The 

 cranial cavity is not ill shaped, and the forehead is not truly flattened or very re- 

 treating, its really well-formed curve being simply disguised by the mass of bone 

 which is built up against it. . . . It is the large proportional size of the facial 

 bones and the great projection of the jaws which gives the gorilla's skull its small 

 facial angle and the face its brutal character. . . . The lower apes and monkeys 

 exaggerate the general proportions of the muzzle of the great anthropoid, so that 

 his visage looks mild and human by comparison with theirs. The difference be- 

 tween the gorilla and the baboon is even greater than it appears at first sight, for 

 the great facial mass of the former is largely due to a downward development of the 

 jaws; a certain human character, superadded upon that almost purely forward, es- 

 sentially brutal, development of the same parts which characterizes the baboon, and 

 yet more distinguishes the lemur. . . . The orang's skull is as devoid of excess- 

 ively developed superciliary prominences as man's, though sometimes exhibiting 

 crests in other places. In some of the cebine apes or others the cranium is as 

 smooth and rounded as that of man himself." 



The truth is that the divergencies are so many and the resemblances so few that 

 none of the anthropomorpha are really very near to man. Still, the class, taken to- 

 gether, presents many indications of relationship. In the facial form and features 

 there are many such resemblances, evidencing the collateral development as well as 

 the relationship of the face in man and the quadrumana. 



The h%unan face, like the remainder of the mere tenement of the soul, came up 

 through many vicissitudes to its present beauty and perfection. As Huxley again 

 says {op. cit.): "Our evidences of the nobility of manhood will not be lessened by 



