XIX. APPENDIX 



RECENT INDIAN SKULLS OF Low TYPE IN THE U. S. NATIONAL 



MUSEUM 



The preceding paper shows that in numerous cases great weight has 

 been given to the low and sloping forehead, especially when accom 

 panied by heavy brows, as an index of low type and on occasion as 

 evidence of antiquity. 



The notion that the low forehead signifies low intelligence gained 

 wide acceptance in the early part of the last century through the 

 teachings of phrenology, while the connection of heavy supraorbital 

 arches and low front with human antiquity is principally due to the 

 fact that these features in an exaggerated form characteri/A 1 the 

 crania of Neanderthal and Spy (no. 1), the latter specimen, at least, 

 being of undoubted geological antiquity. Subsequent to the discovery 

 of these crania it became customary, even among men of science, to 

 regard massive supraorbital ridges and low foreheads us necessary 

 ^omatological accompaniments of antiquity in the human skull. This 

 led to the rather premature acceptance of the view that early men in 

 general were characterized by these features, that, in other words, 

 these anatomical characters represent a developmental stage of man; 

 and from this it was but a step to the acceptance of the notion that 

 all occurrences not clearly pathological of similar formation are 

 reversions an impression which is prevalent to this day. 



Following the intense interest produced in scientific circles by the 

 discovery of the Neanderthal, Spy, Most (Bruex), Podbaba, and other 

 skulls referred to the Quaternary period in Europe, there came in the 

 course of time a number of reports by Busk, Davis, Blake, Primer- 

 Bey. Turner, Godron, and others, of more or less recent crania with 

 &quot; neanderthaloid &quot; features that is, heavy brows and low fore 

 head from different parts of Europe as well as from Asia and Aus 

 tralia. An account of most of these specimens will be found in Qua- 

 trefages and Hamy s Crania Ethnica (i livraison, 27 et seq., Paris, 

 1876-77), and should be perused in this connection. The anomaly 

 was unreservedly ascribed to atavism. 



Nonpathological recent American crania with pronounced supra- 

 orbital ridges and low foreheads thus far have not been made the 

 subject of a special report, yet such specimens are not very rare in 

 our collections. The National Museum alone possesses a consider- 



