CHARACTERISTICS OF MAN. 



61 



remarked that, in the young Ape, there is a much greater resemblance to 

 Man in this respect, than there is in the adult. For at the time of the second 

 dentition, the muzzle of the Ape undergoes a great elongation, so that it pro- 

 jects much more beyond the forehead ; this is seen in Fig. 5. The whole 



Fig. 5. 



View of the base of Skull of Man, compared with that of the Orang Outan. 



cast of the features is altered at the same time, so that it approaches much 

 more to that of the lower Q,uadrumana, than would be supposed from observa- 

 tion of the young animal only.* This increased projection of the muzzle, is 

 an evidence of want of perfect adaptation to the erect posture : whilst the 

 absence of it in Man, shows that no other position is natural to him. Sup- 

 posing that, with a head formed as at present, he were to move on all-fours, 

 so that his face would be brought into the same plane with 'the ground, as 

 painful an effort would be required to examine with the eyes an object placed 

 in front of the body, as is now necessary to keep the eyes fixed on the zenith ; 

 the nose would be unable to perceive any other odours than those which pro- 

 ceeded from the earth or from the body itself; and the mouth could not touch 

 the ground, 'without bringing the forehead and chin also into contact with it. 

 The oblique position of the condyleg in the Quadrumana enables them, without 

 much difficulty, to adapt the inclination of their heads to the horizontal or to 

 the erect position of the body ; but the Natural position, in the highest among 

 them, is unquestionably one in which &e spinal column is inclined, the body 

 being partially thrown forwards, so as to rest upon the anterior extremities ; 

 and in this position, the face is directed forwards without any effort, owing to 

 the mode in which the head is articulated with the spine. 



64. The vertebral column in Man, though not absolutely straight, has its 

 curves so arranged, that, when the body is in an erect posture, a vertical line 

 from its summit would fall exactly on the centre of its base. It increases 

 considerably in size in the lumbar region, so as to be altogether somewhat 

 pyramidal in form. The lumbar portion, in the Chimpanzee and Orang, is 

 not of the same proportional strength ; and contains but four vertebrae instead 

 of five. The processes for the attachment of the muscles of the back to this 



* None but young specimens of the Chimpanzee and Orang Outan have ever been 

 brought arlive to this country ; and they have never survived the period of their second 

 dentition. 

 6 



