

Varieties and Morphology of the Human lachrymal Bone. 229 



metacentric height, she will have large righting moments at great 

 inclinations and a large range of stability. The investigations 

 made at the time of the " Daphne " disaster, and the discussions 

 which these and the elaborate report of the Government Commis- 

 sioner, Sir E. J. Reed, have caused, now place this question upon a 

 somewhat different footing ; but at the time referred to the general 

 belief appears to have been as stated. 



The considerations set forth in this paper are mainly intended to 

 draw attention to the necessity for taking a more comprehensive view 

 of the problem of stability than has formerly prevailed, by investi- 

 gating the cross-curves of stability of ships, and thus ascertaining 

 how the righting moments at fixed angles of inclination vary with 

 draught of water. They also aim at showing how the stability at 

 fixed inclinations does vary in some ships with draught of water, and 

 becomes comparatively small at light draughts. In designing ships 

 and other structures which are required to float safely at very light 

 draughts of water, such calculations are necessary if accidents are to 

 be prevented. In some cases the necessity is as great, or even 

 greater, than for vessels of low freeboard. 



The subject is so extensive that I feel quite unable to attempt any 

 exhaustive treatment of it at the present time. All that has now 

 been possible is to call attention to some of its main features 

 and to show why it requires to be followed up and thoroughly 

 investigated. 



" Notes on the Varieties and Morphology of the Human 



Lachrymal Bone and its Accessory Ossicles." By A. 



. MACALISTER, F.R.S., Professor of Anatomy in the University 



of Cambridge. Received March 14, 1884. Read March 27. 



[PLATES 13.] 



Having examined 1000 lachrymal bones and the soft parts of the 

 lachrymal region of over 300 orbits, I have compiled therefrom the 

 following notes on the anatomy of these parts. The lachrymal is one 

 of the most variable bones in the human skull, and one of the most 

 perishable, being frequently destroyed by careless or ignorant 

 methods of handling crania. 



I. I have notes of two* instances of deficiency of the lachrymal 

 bone. In one of these cases the whole wall of the groove is formed 

 by the nasal process of the maxilla in front, and by the ethmoid and 



* I have since seen eight additional instances of absence, in the Hunterian and 

 other collections, five being in Hindoo crania, two in Negroes, in none of which 

 was there any trace of synostosis. 



