TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 115 



orbital and temporal ridges. The condition of the sutures around the alisphenoid 

 hone demands our special attention. It is only necessary to say that on the left 

 side the spheno-frontal and spheno-parietal sutures are entirely closed, whilst not 

 the slightest trace exists of their direction. Turning, however, to the right side, 

 the shape of the posterior edge of the alisphenoid becomes manifest. A long narrow 

 tongue of bone extends in front of the squamosal, and is partially confluent with 

 the parietal, especially at the extreme anterior corner of the latter. It has also 

 become, to a less extent, though still definitely, coalescent with the frontal bone. 

 This coalescence is especially interesting, as, although upon the right side of the 

 skull, it has taken place upon a spot apparently free from the erosive action which 

 has taken place on the posterior right portion of the skull. It is only necessary to 

 say that, with respect to the squamous suture, no peculiarities meet the eye of the 

 observer. The connexion between the mastoid and squamosal bones is obliterated 

 to a great extent, but not more so than is usually observable in aged individuals. 

 The brow-ridges are exceedingly peculiar. Enormous frontal sinuses have developed 

 a bony ridge, which extends above the eyes throughout the whole length of the 

 supraciliaries, and is thickest and most pronounced immediately below the glabella. 

 The supraorbital canal on the right side is higher than on the left. Proportio- 

 nately to the size of the ridge, the supranasal notch does not appear deep. The 

 forehead is rather low and retrocedent, apparently rendered more so by the great 

 size of the supraciliary ridges. The curve of the frontal bone, backwards and up- 

 wards, is equable and smooth. When a line from the glabella to the inion is made 

 horizontal, the greatest height of the skull is situated about an inch behind the 

 junction of the sagittal and coronal sutures. When the Abbe Frere's line from the 

 meatus auditorius to the centre of the coronal suture is made vertical, the most 

 posterior part of the skull is situated about an inch and a half lower than the apex 

 of the lambdoid suture, and the same distance above the inion. The line of greatest 

 breadth of the skull will be found in a line drawn from the spot of greatest height 

 to the apex of the mastoid process. The parietal bones are very slightly flattened 

 between the line of the sagittal and the line of attachment of the temporal muscle. 

 The traces of the latter are not remarkably prominent. From the above descrip- 

 tion of the skull, the author considered that the following conclusions can safely be 

 drawn. 



The contracted forehead is due to the premature closing of the sutures surround- 

 ing the alisphenoid bone, and the lower medial part of the coronal suture. In 

 early life, the frontal and alisphenoid bones being firmly imited with the adjacent 

 ones in such a way as to form a bony plate, the same conditions were observed as 

 described by Dr. B. Davis, in his paper on the Neanderthal skull. " It will thus 

 be seen that there is nothing either of a siniious character, or that might not have 

 been expected in the low forehead of the Neanderthal skull, in which the brain 

 had to grow and expand under a plate of bone, which appears to have been in a 

 great degree in one solid piece. It was impossible to raise this plate of bone up- 

 wards ; and the result, as will be seen, was a development to another direction. 

 In the middle region of the calvaria, the sagittal suture being closed, the contained 

 cerebral substance could only expand at the sides, in the situation of the squamous 

 sutures ; and here the Neanderthal calvarium seems not to lack development. But 

 in the posterior region its greatest expansion took place, precisely because in this 

 part was the open lambdoid suture, which admitted of the growth of the brain. In 

 the figures of this imperfect calvarium, the superior occipital scale is seen to be 

 bulged out, and the whole of what remains of the occipital bone is frdl and large — 

 the compensatory result for the contracted anterior regions." The above words, 

 which Dr. B. Davis applies to the Neanderthal skull, can be applied, mutatis mu- 

 tandis, to the skull from Louth. The peculiarities which were alleged to be so 

 specially characteristic of the Neanderthal skull having been proved to be due 

 merely to the premature closing of certain sutures, the fact is not remarkable that 

 such skulls as the specimen, " 1029 of Davis," or as the skull before us, shoidd be 

 encountered not unfrequently. Attention having been drawn to the influence 

 which premature closing of the sutures produces on the form of the skull, it is pro- 

 bable that we shall find many other instances. But the occasional occurrence of 

 such cases leads an anthropologist deeply to regret that such an abnormity as the 



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