TRANSACTIONS OF WAGNER 

 52 



HAWAIIAN SKULLS 



Premature Closure of the Sutures 



The cave series exhibited twelve instances (nearly one-half) of absolute 

 or almost absolute closure of the sagittal suture, while the coast showed thir- 

 teen instances of the same. When the average age of the two series is borne 

 in mind, it is seen that the closure of the suture tends to take place earlier 

 than in other races, at least earlier than in the European. I was unable to 

 give the condition of the suture much weight in ascertaining the age of the 

 individual. No connection between the state of the suture and the degree of 

 tooth wear could be ascertained. I am of the opinion that this tendency to 

 early obliteration of the suture is pathological. 



On page 53 several instances are noted of the premature closure of the 

 sutures of the orbit. 



Premature union of the sutures of the Hawaiian skull has been noted by 

 J. B. Davis, who gives brief descriptions of some of them. 



OBLITERATION OF RIGHT HALF OF THE LAMBDOIDAL SUTURE. The speci- 

 men No. 1 1 14, H. U., that of a youth about nineteen years of age, is remark- 

 able for the disappearance of the right parieto-occipital suture from the 

 lambda to near the asterion. In the inner two-thirds of the line all traces 

 of the suture are lost, the skull being as smooth as over the parietal eminence. 

 In the outer third the suture position is evident, and at the asterion is open, 

 a small Wormian appearing at the asterial point, which is not seen on the 

 left. The left parieto-occipital suture is open throughout. 



The loss of the right suture is accompanied by a depression on the right 

 side of the skull from the sagitta to the parietal eminence, but in all other 

 respects the skull seems normal. The parietal bones retain the subacuminate 

 eminence seen in childhood. The obelional foramina are absent on both 

 sides. 



Measurements of the parietal bones in No. 1114: 



Right. Left. 



Skull Height and Bregmatic ... 126 122 



Bregmasquamosal Length ... 92 90 



Pterioasterial Length ... 97 97 



Coronal Length 98 96 



Lambdoidal Length ... 90 80 



Sagittosquamosal Circumference over Tuber . 1 30 1 38. 



Bregmasquamosal " i'5 IO 5 



Bregma-auditory " " . 15 '45 



