THE HUMAN SKULL 125 



persons who are perfectly incompetent to pro- 

 nounce any opinion upon the subject, that such 

 and such things are proved facts of science. Well, 

 are they ? Or are they merely more or less plausible 

 theories ? These are the questions which I think 

 we might well sit down and consider in connection 

 with a good many things which some have been 

 disposed to take for granted. With so much by 

 way of introduction, let me now turn to the sub- 

 ject with which this article is mainly concerned 

 the form of the earliest known skulls. Before attack- 

 ing this point, however, or rather in the course of 

 our attack upon it, it will be necessary to clear the 

 ground by considering briefly some of the methods 

 which have been and are being adopted for the 

 purpose of comparing different skulls and estimat- 

 ing and measuring the differences which exist 

 between them. When we have studied these 

 methods we can then consider certain points which 

 arise in connection with the relations between the 

 size of the skull and the size of the brain which it 

 contains. We shall then be in a position to under- 

 stand the bearing of the observations which have 

 been made upon the group of skulls which we are 

 to consider. In the first place, let me make it clear 

 that I am dealing solely with the cranium proper, 

 that is, the brain-box, and not with the accessory 

 group of bones which forms the face, constitutes 

 capsules for the organs of sight, smell and taste, 

 and has to do with mastication. There are 

 many interesting problems connected with that 

 group of bones, but these must be left aside, 

 for to treat of them in any way would unduly 



