130 



lian and Esthonian skuUs, except a certain sąuareness of figure, which 

 is not constant. 



" From these statements we should be led to suppose that there is 

 a great difference betvveen the škulis of the Finns and Lappes, and we 

 should be inclined to adopt the opinion maintalned by Lehrberg, 

 that they are two separate and distinct races, his argument being 

 founded upon the moral as well as the physical diversities between 

 thęm*. 



" On the other hand, the history of the people, and especially the 

 great similarity of their languages, go far to prove a near relationship 

 between the Finnish and Lappish nations ; nor is a greater or less 

 degree of civilization to be looked upon as a proof of diversity of 

 origin, although it may be the cause of all the moral, and possibly 

 of the physical differences also, vhich exist bet\veen the Finns and 

 Lappes. 



" From this uncertainty it becomes much more important to ascer- 

 tain, by the examination of their škulis, what the physical character- 

 istics of each nation are, and whether they exhibit any points of 

 resemblance which may confirm the supposition that there is affinity 

 between them, or whether, on the contrarj% a sufficient degree of 

 dissimilarity can be made out, from an accurate examination, to en- 

 title us to set them do'\\'n as separate races, and to class them with 

 difFerent grand divisions of the human species ; whether, in short, 

 these dilFerences, if any such are found, are more than can be ac- 

 counted for by the diversity of climate and modes of life ^hich are 

 well known long to have existed between them. 



'•' The examination of these skuUs for the purpose of furnishing an 

 accurate description of their appearance is interesting in another 

 point of view. In Scandinavia and in Denmark there are numerous 

 tumuli •vvhich contain osteological remains of former inhabitants, and 

 it is a disputed point Avhether they are the remains of a Finnish ab- 

 original stock or of Cimbrian or some unkno\vn race, since they differ 

 from the old German remains. Now if \ve could establish a correct 

 notion of the Finnish description of skuU, we should have no diffi- 

 culty in deciding whether the remains before mentioned belonged to 

 this stock. 



" Having four specimens of these skuUs, t\vo of Finns and two of 

 Laplanders, vvhich my father has received through the kindness of 

 Dr. Ilmoni and Mr. Daniel Wheeler, of Bristol, I have an opportunity 

 of examining their peculiarities and of comjiaring them -vvith each 

 other and with the skuUs of other Europeans, Chinese, American 

 Indian, and the Esquimaux, the latter of which is a most remarkable 

 specimen of the pyramidal and broad-faced skull. 



" Upon taking a general view of these skuUs, there are no remark- 

 able features which strilce us so forcibly as those which -vve see in the 

 conformation of the Esquimaux. In fact, the only point -svorthy of 



* Lehrberg, iiber die AVohnsitte der Jemen, ein Beitrag zur Geschichte 

 Neu-Finnlands, in Untersuchuugen zur Erlatiterung der alteii Geschichte 

 Russlands. 



