62 ALES' HRDLIKA 



Blanks. The subject of blanks has already been covered in the 

 main (p. 40). Anthropological literature contains many examples of 

 proposed universal blanks, from those of Broca, Topinard, and the 

 British Association, to those of von Luschan and the overcomplex 

 ones of Torok or Rudolf Martin. The essentials are however the same 

 in all, and if any rule should be given the student in this connection it 

 is to begin his independent work with these essentials, and let experi- 

 ence advise him as to extensions. 



The general type of blanks used on the living by the author are 

 reproduced on the next pages. Though based on long experience and 

 seeming to him satisfactory, they are not given here to be blindly 

 followed. He himself modifies them according to occasions. He may 

 add, for instance, the sternal notch height, breadth of shoulders, and 

 breadth of the pelvis; he may eliminate the span, the ear measure- 

 ments and other determinations. The blanks relating to skeletal 

 material will be dealt with later. Author's general blank for children, 

 which on account of the diversity of ages is printed on an individual 

 sheet, is also here shown. It is equally subject to modifications, ac- 

 cording to circumstances. Both sets of the blanks here given will 

 be seen to lack various measurements which have been used more or 

 less extensively in anthropometry, such as the various subsidiary 

 heights (to shoulder, nipples, xiphoid, umbilicus, pubis), those that 

 apply to the various segments of the limbs, etc. The reason is that 

 except in special studies none of these measurements is of prime 

 importance, and in many cases either the exposures they call for or 

 the uncertainty of their landmarks, offer serious difficulties to effective, 

 accurate work. In case of exceptional opportunity or special interests 

 of the observer, any of these measurements may, of course, be included 

 in the general scheme. 



LANDMARKS AND METHODS 



So far as measurements on the living are concerned, it will be of 

 advantage to speak of landmarks and methods jointly. Moreover, 

 only those measurements will be considered in this place which are 

 practiced in the anthropometric work of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 Information as to others may be readily obtained from Broca, 1 Topi- 

 nard, 2 Martin, 3 and the existing International Agreements. 



1 Broca (Paul), Instructions anthropologiques ge"ne"rales. 12mo, 2 ed., Paris, 1879. 



2 Topinard (Paul), Elements d'Anthropologie ge*ne*rale. 8, Paris, 1885. 

 8 Martin (Rudolf), Lehrbuch der Anthropologie. 8, Jena, 1914. 



