38 Transactions.— Zoology. 



Teeth. — "With the exception of the third molars, the teeth 

 are always much worn, though the second molar is not as a 

 rule so much so as the first. The first molars in the upper 

 jaw occasionally show the same dislocation and peculiar 

 wearing already described in connection Nvith the teeth of 

 Maori skulls. 



In seven adult skulls the absence of one or both third 

 molars was observed ; and in a lower jaw, also adult, there 

 was no second premolar on the right side, the second milk 

 molar being still in place. 



Though in no case was any trace of dental caries recog- 

 nised, yet in six skulls — three males and three females — the 

 cavities caused by alveolar abscesses are present. 



Children's Skulls. — Two of the young skulls (Nos. 49 

 and 50) in Table III. are, in my opinion, Maori. The 

 other four I regard as Moriori, and their more important 

 features I shall now briefly note. Their cranial capacity, 

 though of course lower than that of the adult skulls, is 

 still comparatively high, as it averages l,358c.c. The average 

 cephalic index is 79-9, considerably higher than that of the 

 adult, and showdpg them to be on the verge of brachycephaly. 

 The average vertical index, 74-8, is also higher, but in 

 all four skulls the width exceeds the height of the brain- 

 case. The frontal index, 64'3, is lower than in the adult 

 skulls, and shows the greater preponderance in width of the 

 posterior over the anterior part of the brain-case in the 

 child. The orbital index, 95-3, and the nasal index, 51, are 

 also much in excess of those of the adult. The distinctly 

 lower gnathic index, 89-5, and the wider facial angle, 77-8'^, 

 are due to the infantile condition of the face. The feeble 

 development of the face is also shown by the slight projec- 

 tion of the zygomatic arches, and by the proportion between 

 the transverse width of the brain-case and the bizygomatic 

 width. In all four skulls the former exceeds the latter. The 

 shortness and width of the palate in the child is well shown 

 by the high palato-maxillary index, 143'2. 



Veetebral Column (Maori). 



I give in Table IV. the measurements and the indices of 

 thirteen more or less complete Maori columns. The measure- 

 ments given are the anterior and posterior vertical diameters, 

 and the transverse and antero-posterior horizontal diameters 

 of the vertebral bodies. The horizontal diameters are taken 

 at the lower surface. 



The indices of the individual vertebrae, the vertebral 



indices, are calculated from the formula — 



Posterior vertical diameter x 100 . 



> 



Anterior vertical diameter 



