38 HARROW-DIGGING AT MARTINSTOWN. 



formed by its head and neck with the shaft is obtuse. The tibia and fbula have 

 their epiphyses ununited to the shaft ; the antero- posterior diameter of the 

 former at the nutrient foramen is 31 mm., and the transverse diameter at the 

 same level is 21 mm. ; while in the middle of the bone these measurements are 

 28 and 21 mm. respectively. The hiimcrtts has the upper epiphysis ununited, but 

 the lower epiphyses are quite united to the shaft ; the epitrochlear process 

 (internal condylar process) appears to have been broken off. Its circumference in 

 the middle of the shaft is G9 mm. The radius has its epiphyses at both ends 

 ununited to the shaft. All these bones are well developed as to size and muscular 

 ridges for their stage of growth. As will be learned from the condition of the 

 epiphyses, they have not attained their full size. 



The following are the dimensions of such of the long bones as were perfect 

 enough for measurement : 



Eight Femur . . . . 462 mm. 



Left Tibia .. .. .. 378 



Eight Humerus .. .. 330 



Left Eadius. . . . . . 255 ,, 



From these measurements I have calculated the probable stature of the 

 individual, both according to Eollet formulae and by the newer methods of 

 Prof. Karl Pearson. But before entering upon this subject it is necessary to state 

 the age and sex of the individual as indicated by the skeleton. The condition of 

 the basilar suture, the teeth, and the state of the epiphyses of the bones, enable 

 us to determine the age of the individual at the time of death to have been 

 between 18 and 19 years. The question of sex is a difficult one in some cases, 

 even in adults, and still more so in adolescents. In the former the chief 

 difficulty, once one has become familiar with the race to which the specimen 

 belongs, is to distinguish a small ill-developed man from a well-developed and big 

 woman. When handling the skull in the first instance I confess to having had 

 some doubt as to the sex in this particular instance, but doubt was soon dispelled 

 after full examination of it and the other bones. Let me parenthetically remark 

 that this demonstrates very well how important it is to secure the limb bones as 

 well as the skull in all instances. The relative proportions of the limb bones to 

 the stature are different in men and women, and, therefore, irrespective of other 

 data afforded by them, materially assist in the determination of sex in doubtful 

 cases. The age and state of development of the skeleton, as well as the results 

 yielded by the different formulae for estimation of stature, had in this case to be 

 carefully considered in coming to a decision as to the sex. The conclusion I have 

 come to is that this is undoubtedly the skeleton of a male. 



The indicated stature from the several long bones shows that proportionately 

 the radius is abnormally long, while the humerus is slightly shorter than the 

 normal mean. The indicated statures from the femur, tibia, and humerus agree 

 very well, but the femur, as has been shown to be generally the case by 

 Prof. Karl Pearson, gives on the whole apparently the best result ; the other two 

 indicated statures from the tibia and humerus respectively deviating on either 



