igo THE EARLIEST MEN 



has been shown to be a mistake. There is n doubt 

 that the Piltdown jaw and the skull, if the two 

 belong to each other (which is thought by some 

 to be unlikely), form in many ways a great puzzle, 

 and one which is by no means cleared up. Perhaps 

 further discoveries may throw light on the matter, 

 as was the case with the Neanderthal skull. 



Whilst dealing with this specimen, allusion 

 may be made to the matter of reconstructions, 

 since Professor Keith in his book has actually 

 attempted to reconstruct the entire Heidelburg 

 skull from the mandible which alone has come to 

 hand. Of course it is most natural that anatomists 

 should undertake tasks of this kind, and they have 

 various rules and facts to aid them in carrying out 

 their operations. But after all a great deal must be 

 left to surmise, and the results obtained differ 

 within too wide limits, far too wide limits, even 

 to fall within the province of the law of error ; in 

 other words, they cannot be depended upon. A 

 friend once suggested to me that a small committee 

 of anatomists might very carefully measure a 

 modern skull and take a cast of the same. Having 

 done this, they might then cut away the parts miss- 

 ing in the Piltdown skull, and hand the fragments 

 to some of the reconstructors of ancient skulls to 

 work upon. The results compared with the cast 

 and measurements would afford very interesting 

 comments on the value of reconstructions, and 

 would act as a splendid example of a control ex- 

 periment. But perhaps it never will be carried out. 

 Respecting the Piltdown skull, at this moment 

 probably the most interesting remnant of humanity 



