376' Dr Hodgkin on ihe 



I regret that I have been unable to examine skulls, either 

 ancient or modern, belonging to this group. Differing, as 

 they do, from both of the forms of the Negro head which I 

 have already described, and yet, for reasons which I shall pre- 

 sently glance at, to be regarded as a strictly African, rather 

 than as an outlying Caucasian branch, it would be very inte- 

 resting to search for some peculiarity of conformation charac- 

 teristic of the Ethiopic variety in all its subdivisions. If such 

 a peculiarity exist, I have not at present any positive idea as 

 to what it may be. There is, however, a peculiai'ity which, I 

 think, I have noticed in all skulls of truly African Negroes. 

 The ossa nasi are nearly parallel to each other, especially at 

 the upper part, which confers a breadth as well as flatness on 

 the bridge of the nose. I think that the nasal processes of 

 the superior maxillae, and the ossa unguis, have somewhat 

 corresponding modifications. I am unable to say whether the 

 Galla skulls present these peculiarities ; but with the dark 

 complexion of the skin there is so marked a difference between 

 the form of their features and those of other African tribes, 

 that it seems impossible not to infer so strong an admixture 

 from another stock, as to account for the deviation from the 

 common rule, if it exist. In the darkest Blacks of the Indian 

 Archipelago and of New Holland, the former having woolly 

 hair, and the latter not, the peculiarity of the African ossa 

 nasi is not met with, so far as I have been able to discover ; 

 but in the Australian Blacks, I have noticed, in the os frontis, 

 a remarkable form in the outer part of the orbit, giving great 

 breadth and flatness to that part of the forehead. 



As I have already stated, the observations which I have 

 just oflfered have been made with sole reference to physical 

 character, without any bias from philological or genealogical 

 data. That local influences, as well as pai-entage, may produce 

 some visible effects on the physical form, can hardly be doubt- 

 ed ; but it seems highly probable, that the local influences are 

 not only by far the more limited, but that they will be found, 

 when carefully investigated, to be of such a nature that they 

 may be taken into account, when the characteristics of family 

 or vai'iety are under consideration. 



In the valuable pages of my friend James M'Queen, we have 



