300 FORMS OF THE SKULL. 



their head, like that of the Egyptian mummies, demonstrates 

 their Caucasian origin*." 



The latter point is fully confirmed by two Guanche skulls 

 in the possession of Dr. Leach. 



The form of the cranium has not yet been sufficiently 

 studied and observed to enable us to say that the several very 

 different nations included under the Caucasian variety are 

 or are not characterized by particular modifications of this 

 cavity. There are, however, some peculiarities so striking, 

 that they immediately attract notice. The completely 

 globular form of the skull in the Turk is one of these ; It is 

 exemplified in an engraving of Blumenbach's first decade f, 

 rorresponding exactly to a skull which 1 have seen. The 

 cranium (properly so called) is perfectly globular; the 

 occiput can be hardly said to exist, as the foramen magnum 

 is placed very near the posterior part of the basis cranii ; the 

 forehead is broad, and the glabella prominent. The posterior 

 part of the head is very high and broad. The proportions of 

 the face are symmetrical and elegant. The alveolar part of 

 the upper jaw-bone is singularly short; not measuring more 

 than the breadth of the little finger under the nose. The 

 basis of the lower jaw is remarkable for its shortness; the 

 facial line nearly vertical, so that the preponderance of the 

 parts placed in front of the occlpito-atloidal articulation is 

 reduced as much as possible. 



Two other Turkish skulls in Blumenbach's possession 

 have exactly the same shape ; which is very general in living 

 Turks, and is always visible in good portraits of them. This 

 peculiarity of form has been observed by several authors : 

 it is indeed so striking, that it could hardly have escaped 



HoRNEMANN, Mr. Marsden traced an affinity between them and the Ber- 

 bers or Numidians, with whose language it is well known that the small re' 

 mains of the Guanche tongue agree. Blumenbach, loc. cit. p. 8. Ade- 

 LUNG, Mithridutes ; vol, iii. part 1. page 59, 60. 



* CiJViEK, loc. cit. SoEMMERRiNG mentions that the head of a Guanche 

 mummy at Cassel has the Negro characters; but enters into no further detail. 

 De Corp. Ihimani Fabric, t. i. p. 71. 



t No. ii. 



