TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. DEFT. ANTHROPOLOGY. 619 



the good-humoured remark about despising crauiology can hardly he applied to a 

 country which numbers among its living men of science such eminent craniologists 

 as Professor Busk, Professor Cleland, Dr. Barnard Davis, and Professors Flower, 

 Huxley, and Rolleston. 



It may naturally he asked whether the researches of archreologists in Wales 

 lend any support to Thurnam's hypothesis. Nothing, I conceive, would be easier 

 than to show that very material support has come from this quarter ; but I have 

 abstained, of set purpose, from introducing into this address any remarks on the 

 prehistoric archaeology of Wales. For I have not forgotten that we are to have 

 the privilege of hearing an evening lecture on ' Primeval ]\Iau ' by so distinguished 

 an archaeologist and naturalist as Professor Boyd Dawkins. No one has done 

 more in this country to forward Thurnam's views, whether by actual exploration 

 or by writing, than Professor Dawkins ; and if I have not referred to his work, 

 especially to his discoveries in Denbighshire, it has been simply because I was 

 anxious to avoid trespassing on any subject which he is likely to bring forward.' 



Setting aside, then, any archaeological evidence derived from the bone-caves, 

 barrows, or other sepulchres in Wales, we may finally look at the outcome of our 

 inquiry into Welsh ethnogeny. If we admit, as it seems to me we are bound to 

 admit, the existence of two distinct ethnical elements in the Welsh population, 

 one of which is short, dark, and dolichocephalic — call it Silurian, Atlautean, Iberian, 

 Basque, or what you will ; and the other of which is tall, fair, and brachycephalic, 

 such as some term Cymric, and others Ligurian ; -then it follows that by the cross- 

 ing of these two races we may obtain not only individuals of intermediate character, 

 but occasionally more complex combinations ; for example, an individual may have 

 the short stature and long head of the one race, associated with the lighter hair of 

 the other ; or again, the tall stature of one may be found in association with the 

 melanism and dolichocephalism of the other race. It is, therefore, no objection to 

 the views herein expressed if we can point to a living Welshman who happens to be 

 at once tall and dark, or to another who is short and fair. 



At the same time, I am by no means disposed to admit that when we have 

 recognised the union of the xanthous and melanic elements in Wales, with a pre- 

 dominance of the latter in the south, we have approached to anything like the 

 exhausting limit of the subject. Still earlier races may have dwelt in the land, and 

 have contributed something to the composition of the Welsh. In fact, the anthro- 

 pologist may say of a Welshman, as a character in ' Cymbeline ' says of Posthu- 

 mus when doubtful about his pedigree, 



' I cannot delve him to the root.' 



It is possible that the roots of the Welsh may reach far down into some hidden 

 primitive stock, older mayhap than the Neolithic ancestors of the Silurians ; but of 

 such pristine people we have no direct evidence. So far, however, as positive 

 investigation has gone, we may safely conclude that the Welsh are the representa- 

 tives, in large proportion, of a very ancient race or races ; and that they are a com- 

 posite people who may perhaps be best defined as Siluro-Cymric. 



Many other questions relating to Welsh ethnology press for consideration — 

 such as the hypothesis that the Kymro was preceded, in parts at least of Wales, 

 by the Gael ; but such questions must be dismissed from present discussion, for 

 I fear that my remarks have already overrim the limits of a departmental 

 address. Let us hope, however, that much light may be thrown upon a variety of 

 questions bearing upon local anthropology in the course of the discussions which 

 will arise in this department during the present session of the Association. 



si continua a sprezzare la craniologia, come cosa poco degna dello spirito pratico 

 della razza anglosassone ; e in Italia, paese piii scettico di tutti, perch^ piil antico e 

 piil stanco di tutti, si continua a misurare, pur sorridendo dell' iniproba e pur inutile 

 fatica.' — La Riforma Craniologica ; ArcMrio, vol. x. 1880, p. 117. 



' For Prof. Boyd Dawkins' contributions to the subject see his interesting works 

 on Cave-hunting, 1874, and on Ea7-ly Man in Britain, 1880. 



