624 



NATURE 



[October 27, 1923 



Haughton (183a cubic centimetres), and by Broom • 

 (i960 cubic centimetres) for the Transvaal specimen ; 

 but after taking casts from the fragments and recon- 

 structing the endocranial cavity, my endocranial cast 

 gives a far smaller capacity— in the vicinity of 1750 

 cubic centimetres. This figure still reveals a capacity 

 far in advance of the average for modem European 

 brains (Meckel's brain capacity was only 1320 cubic 

 centimetres and Raphael's 1420 cubic centimetres), and 

 is the more striking when it is remembered that the 

 skull is female. The other male crania indicate a 

 greater capacity. 



Concerning the Boskop endocranial cast Elliot Smith 

 said, " Its features present a curious blend of those 

 characters which are regarded as distinctive of Mous- 

 terian and Aurignacian types of men respectively ; 

 but whereas the general form presents certain resem- 

 blances to the former, in all essential respects the cast 

 conforms to the type represented by the Cro-magnon 

 man of Western Europe." Broom {loc. cit.) goes 

 further and believes it not unlikely that the Boskop 

 type was ancestral to both Neanderthal and Cro- 

 magnon man. 



Unfortunately, insufficient jaw remains exist to 

 prove or disprove Broom's contention concerning the 

 supposed massive mandible and large canines. On the 

 whole, the delicacy of the facial skeleton of this speci- 

 men is in strong contrast with the massive build and 

 thickness of the calvaria, and scarcely favours the 

 expectation of massive jaws. On the other hand, the 

 nasal process of the maxilla is relatively enlarged and 

 plays an enhanced role in bounding the nasal aperture 

 and wall — features emphasised by Boule (" Les 

 Hommes fossiles ") as indicating the ultra-human 



KiG. 3. — Internal view of the three fraijments of the left side of the skull 

 of Homo capensis. The vascular arrangements are particularly- 

 well-marked. 



character of Neanderthal man. The pithecoid nature 

 of the small mastoid process, supra-mastoid ridge, 

 mandibular fossa, and superciliary ridges in this type, 

 features which once more link it to primitive Neander- 

 thaloid forms, were emphasised by Haughton (/or. a/.). 

 The same point of view is favoured by the relatively low 

 development of the frontal lobes of the brain. 

 The endocranial cast of this specimen reveals further 



• " The evidence afiorded by the Boskop skull of a new species of primitive 

 man {Homo capensis)." Anthrop. papers of the Amer. \lus. of Nat. Hist. 

 Vol. xxiii., Pt. II. 1918. 



NO. 2817, VOL. 112] 



an extremely broad and depressed Sylvian fossa. 'The 

 cast is sufficiently complete in this region to show-that 

 here the Sylvian depression was even wider and mnr*- 

 patent than in the endocranial cast of the Muu ' 

 man of Im. ChapcUe, concerning whom Boule d< 

 hesitate to say that the island of Reil was pa 

 exposed. It seems that, in this respect, our I; 

 woman was even more pithecoid. The sulcus h. 

 also is prominently indicated in the right p^uiiio 

 occipital fragment. Incidentally, it may be stated 



Fu;. 4. — External view of the three fragments of the left side of lite skull of 

 Homo capensis on a rough preliminary reconstruction of the endo- 

 cranial cavity. Features to be noted are referred to in the text. 



that the endocranial cast indicates a marked asymmetry' 

 of brain and skull, the right frontal pole and left 

 occipital pole respectively being more expanded than 

 their fellows of the opposite side. 



While certain of the foregoing data betray primitive, 

 if not even Neanderthaloid, features, the study of other 

 skeletal remains favours the Cro-magnon affiliation. 

 .\ complete femur (also apparently female) indicates by 

 its length (461 mm.) a stature in the vicinity of 5 feet 

 6 inches, which is considerably al)ove that of Neander- 

 thal man ; and the male stature was presumably more 

 considerable. Its straightness and slender build 

 (despite a tendency to the exhibition of a third tro- 

 chanter, a fossa hypotrochanterica, and a high pilastric 

 index) are also in strong contrast with that of Neander- 

 thal man. The vertebral column in a male specimen 

 in the lumbar region (3rd, 4th, and 5th vertebrae) gives 

 a general lumbar index of 97-4, which indicates a 

 marked lumbar curve (kyrtorhachism) such as is found 

 in modem Europeans. 



The more detailed study of the remains may throw- 

 clearer light upon a bizarre mingling of characteristics 

 which, at the present time, is highly confusing. It may 

 prove justifiable, as Broom is already convinced, to 

 separate this human group from both Neanderthal and 

 Cro-magnon man as a separate species {Homo capensis). 

 There is no doubt, meantime, that these new human 

 documents, which have been brought to light through 

 the energy and enthusiasm of Mr. FitzSimons. have 

 further emphasised the anthropological wealth of 

 Africa, and the need for more cautious investigation 

 of the deeper strata of our coastal rock shelters, with 



