269 



Dr. S. G.Morton's Crania Americana, Plates 20 and 21, this 

 skull much resembles one figured in Plate 54, a skull from 

 a mound on the Alabama River ; he is in doubt whether it is a 

 Natchez or a Choctaw skull, but he is inclined to think it the 

 latter ; the locality and apparent antiquity of this skull would 

 indicate it to be rather a Natchez than a Choctaw. There are 

 Indian mounds in the vicinity of the spot where this was found, 

 which contain skulls like that figured in Plate 54. 



The following measurements are taken according to Dr. Mor- 

 ton's method ; the internal capacity having been measured by 

 Canary seed, as the skull was not strong enough to bear the 

 weight of shot. 



MEASUREMENTS. 



Longitudinal diameter 

 Parietal diameter 

 Frontal diameter 

 Vertical diameter 

 Inter- mastoid arch 

 Inter-mastoid line 

 Occipito-frontal arch 

 Horizontal periphery 

 Internal capacity 



Tollecan average. 



6.5 inches . 6.5 



5.75 " . 5.6 



4.8 " . 4.4 



5.8 " . 5.3 



15.7 " . 14.9 



4.75 " . 4.1 



14.2 " . 13.6 



20. " . 19.4 



90. Cubic inches 76.8 



From these measurements it will be seen, that the longitu- 



dinal, parietal, and frontal diameters are about the same as 

 Dr. Morton gives as the average of Tollecan skulls, from fifty- 

 seven specimens, while the vertical diameter exceeds it by 

 nearly half an inch, showing that the pressure applied to the 

 skull, without enlarging it much laterally, or flattening it from 

 before backwards, caused a considerable upward elongation, 

 very few skulls, not even what he calls a Natchez, Plate 54, 

 having a vertical diameter of 5.8 inches. This is also shown 

 by the very great inter-mastoid arch, occipito-frontal arch, and 

 horizontal periphery. These dimensions are very unlike those 

 of a Choctaw skull, as given by Dr. Morton, in his Catalogue, 

 No. 408 ; so that it is extremely probable that this is a Natchez 

 skull. 



