H^DLICKA] SKELETAL REMAINS 31 



base. When the base of the skull is viewed from above, it is seen 

 that the inferior surface of the right petrous portion is but slightly 

 depressed, while that of the left is on the level, and anteriorly even 

 slightly above the level, of the neighboring parts always a sign of 

 rather deficient expansion of the cranial cavity, for in a well-expanded 

 specimen the petrous portions are seen in a decided hollow. The 

 skull shows large mastoids and a well-developed superior occipital 

 crest, indicating a powerful musculature ; but the temporal ridges 

 are not pronounced and their nearest approach to the sagittal suture 

 amounts on each side to nearly G cm. The face was apparently but 

 moderately prognathic, as is general in Indians, and the malars and 

 the zygoma? were not above medium in strength. The nasal spine 

 is low and not very prominent, but this feature constitutes no great 

 exception among Indian crania. The palate, the dental arches, and 

 the teeth were of only ordinary dimensions; the injured condition 

 of the arches and absence of the teeth prevent the giving of meas 

 urements. The foramen magnum is large, indicating probably tall 

 stature. The glenoid cavities are deep and spacious. The lower 

 jaw, which was originally with the specimen, is wanting, but accord 

 ing to Meigs s illustration and Schmidt s account, it showed nothing 

 that would be uncommon in the lower jaw of a modern Indian. 



The National Museum collection contains a good series of Indian 

 crania obtained from mounds along the Illinois river, with which the 

 Rock Bluff skull can be compared ; and there are several skulls 

 from the Albany mounds, Illinois, in the Davenport Academy of 

 Sciences, which can also be utilized in this connection. These mound 

 crania are certainly not geologically ancient, though they probably 

 antedate the advent of whites into the valley. They show some variety, 

 due possibly to tribal mixture, but the predominating type is dolicho 

 cephalic, having rather low orbits and, in males, strongly developed 

 supraorbital ridges, with narrow, low, and occasionally very sloping, 

 forehead. Mesocephalic forms appear occasionally. With most of 

 these skulls the Rock Bluff specimen agrees fairly in every essential 

 particular that goes to form a cranial type. Its supraorbital ridges 

 alone are quite equaled by those of no. 4401, Davenport Academy 

 (plate xin, #), and in several other specimens they are closely ap 

 proached. Were the Rock Bluff skull mingled w r ith the rest of the 

 Illinois River male crania no observer would be likely to single it out 

 as especially remarkable. It agrees with most of them even in color. 

 The peculiarities it presents are well within the scope of individual 

 variation. The following table and illustrations (plate n, &, c) show 

 the resemblances, which are still further strengthened by an exami 

 nation of the whole series of specimens from the Illinois valley. 



In view of the above facts, and irrespective of the wholly unsatis 

 factory geological evidence, the Rock Bluf skull, though regarded 



