94 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 83 



jaw presents a relatively great excess of smooth bone in the anterior 

 and premolar region, the thickness continuing to the molar region 

 uniformly on the left, with some irregularity on the right. The 

 lingual parts of the right molar portion of the jaw, above the 

 mylohyoid ridge, resemble closely some of the hyperostoses or 

 strengthenings found in some modern lower jaws, particularly among 

 the Eskimo. 



The ascending rami are not very massive but very broad, and show 

 an exceedingly shallow notch, particularly on the left side, which adds 

 much to their unique appearance. The outer surfaces of these rami 

 are markedly hollowed out for muscular attachments, except in their 

 middle portions which are mildly convex. The coronoid processes 

 are relatively stout and markedly everted. 



The condyles dififer from those of modern jaws by being of greater 

 stoutness antero-posteriorly and lesser breadth laterally. Their articu- 

 lar surface differs also from that of modern jaws, particularly on the 

 left where the central eminence is very marked, so that looked at 

 from the back the condyle has a markedly triangular appearance, the 

 summit of the triangle being dull. The lower and posterior portions 

 of the ascending rami are, curiously, thmner than they are in many 

 strong modern jaws. The lingual mental spines are barely discernible 

 as such ; they are represented by a marked rough ridge above which 

 is a fairly large shallow fossa. 



THE TEETH 



The teeth of the Mauer jaw present numerous points of interest. 

 They are larger than modern teeth, with the exception of some of 

 those found in the more primitive races. They are very regular and 

 show neither crowding nor diastemata. The curve of Spy is slight. 

 The crowns of the teeth show moderate wear. Morphologically the 

 incisors resemble much those of modern man, but are stouter antero- 

 posteriorly. There is no trace of lingual concavity (shovel-shape). 

 The canines stand in just about the same relation to the neighboring 

 teeth, both in size and shape, as they do in modern jaws. They have 

 no lingual cusps. 



The anterior premolar, preserved on the right side, has more the 

 appearance of a moderate sized canine with a high labial and a much 

 smaller lingual cusp, than that of an average bicuspid. The crown 

 of the second premolar is more like that in the modern teeth though 

 not entirely similar. The molars had evidently five cusps each. The 

 second molar is the longest and slightly also the broadest of the three. 

 The third molar is well developed. 



