406 SCIENCE FROM AN EASY CHAIR 



Neanderthal and the Correze skull are so much larger in 

 breadth and length than average European skulls, that in 

 spite of its flat, depressed shape, the Correze skull (and 

 consequently the Neanderthal skull, too) has a brain- 

 cavity holding 1 600 cubic centimetres, whilst the average 

 modern European skull only holds 1500 to 1550. The 

 estimate given by former observers for the Neanderthal 

 skull was as low as 1200. This calculation was based 

 on the diminution of volume caused by the flatness of 

 the skull, and would be correct were the skull of the 

 Neander race no longer or broader than an ordinary 

 European skull. If we imagine a skull of the ordinary 

 European proportionate height, but as long and as broad 

 as the Neander skulls, then its volume would be some- 

 thing like 2000 cubic centimetres. This is a very 

 remarkable result. The ancient Neander Men's brain 

 was not smaller, but actually a little bigger than that of 

 modern Europeans ; it was bigger in regions where the 

 modern European is small, and smaller where that is 

 large ! 



If we had any sufficient knowledge of the mental 

 qualities which belong to different regions of the brain 

 (if, indeed, such localisation of qualities is possible), we 

 might draw some interesting conclusions from this differ- 

 ence between the two races. But unfortunately our 

 knowledge on that matter is very defective. We are 

 not in a position to say that length and breadth of the 

 brain either can or cannot compensate (so to speak) for 

 shallowness. It is probable that the mental qualities 

 of the two forms of brain were in important respects 

 different, but that is all that can at present be said. No 

 accredited brain student would, until more is known, 

 venture to draw conclusions as to mental quality from 

 such facts as mere breadth, length, and depth of the 

 cranial cavity. 



