74 PHYSIOLOGY. 



in the Caucasian. The head of the Hindoo is much smaller 

 than that of the European, while that of the New-Hollander 

 is but little superior to that of the ourang outang, who roams 

 the same forests with himself. The New Zealanders have 

 heads nearly as large as the European ; but the fore-head 

 is low, and the great preponderance of size is in the back 

 part of the head, 



21. The heads of the ancient Egyptians, as appears from 

 an examination of mummies, ^closely resembled in shape and 

 size those of modern Europeans. Some of our North American 

 Indians are in the habit of flattening their heads by binding 

 a piece of board on the fore as well as back part of the head, 

 in infancy. From this custom, one tribe among the Rocky 

 Mountains, has received the name of Flat Head Indians. 

 The Choctaw tribe were formerly in the habit of flattening 

 their heads in the same way ; but for some years past, they 

 have discontinued the practice. The heads of the different 

 European nations differ somewhat from each other ; but a 

 common type characterizes them all. 



22. Not only the size, but the textwe of skulls among dif- 

 ferent nations varies. The grain of the New Holland skulls 

 is extremely rough and coarse ; that of the Hindoos, fine, 

 smooth, and compact, more closely resembling ivory. The 

 Swiss skulls are open and soft in the grain, while the Greek 

 are closer, and finer.- It has been suggested that there may 

 possibly be a corresponding quality of brain in the individu- 

 als, which may influence the mental, and consequently the 

 national character. This difference is generally attributed 

 to the effects of temperament. 



23. (The bones of the cranium increase in extent, thick- 

 ness, and weight, from the commencement till the termina- 

 tion of their development in adult age ; but after this time, 

 and till old age, they always diminish in these three rela- 

 tions v In advanced life, we often find them reduced to a 

 mere shell, and perhaps perforated in some places. They 

 thus become much lighter than in middle life. Meckel found 



