372 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— H. 



Considering that the first vertebra is spineless in all three races, with very few 

 exceptions, the second has special features which demand individual attention, and 

 that the seventh has a spinous process with features constant in all three races, the 

 inquiry can be limited to vertebrae numbered 3 to 6. 



After this deduction the proportions of bifurcE^te cervical spinous processes are, 

 European about 81 per cent., Bantu about 14 per cent., Bushmen less than 5 per cent. 



The non-bifurcate cervical spinous processes of the South African native races 

 exhibit wide variations of size and form. 



Four types are recognised to which the names pedunculate, cleft, simple and 

 rudimentary are given. 



No very striking differences are found in the proportions in which these types of 

 cervical spinous process occur in the Bantu and the Bushman. 



Differentiation of Bantu and Bushman cervical vertebrae is impossible by con- 

 sideration of only the morphological characters of the spinous processes. The 

 diminutive size and slender build of the Bushman bones is the best distinguishing 

 feature. 



Heteromorphism of the cervical spinous processes is found in the Bushman, even 

 after skeletons are most carefully selected in order to obtain the purest unmixed 

 forms. 



For this purpose two criteria were applied to the Bushman skeletons, viz. : size 

 and build, and the characteristic skull form. 



It is inferred that heteromorphism of the cervical spinous processes is the rule 

 even in pure Bushman stock, and that there is no type of cervical spinous process 

 characteristic of the Bushman. 



The same inferences are maintained, a fortiori, for the Bantu race. 



The spinous process of the axis is considered separately. 



The bifurcate character was found in 6 out of 9 specimens of axis in Europeans, 

 in 12 out of 64 Bantus and in 1 out of 11 Bushmen. Much variation of form was 

 found in the Bantu and Bushman axis. 



Bifurcate cervical spinous processes in the Bantu resemble those of Mediteranean 

 rather than those of Nordic strains of the Caucasian race. It is suggested that 

 these cervical spinous processes in the Bantu race may be the outcome of mingling with 

 North African peoples on the East coast of Africa. 



The great variation of size and form of the cervical spinous processes in both 

 South African native races seems to indicate a phase of retrograde evolution. 



The main variants of the cervical spinous processes can be recogmsed in their 

 counterparts in lower animal forms. 



Thus, the pedunculate type is common in the anthropoid apes, the simple tjrpe 

 in the monkeys, but the rudimentary type is sub-primate. 



No inferences as to the tribe of a Bantu skeleton can be made from the characters 

 of the cervical spinous processes. 



Mr. J. H. S. Gear. — The Fossil Baboons from Taungs. 



Fifteen specimens, mainly skulls and endocranial casts, were examined. These 

 specimens, which are the remains of baboons, are aU completely fossiUsed by the 

 infiltration of limestone. They were obtained from the Buxton Lime Works near 

 Taungs. By taking into consideration the state of the teeth and sutures of the 

 skull and certain skeletal growth changes, it has been possible to determine the age 

 and sex of most of the specimens. In a relatively large number of natural endocranial 

 casts of which two are almost perfect in the preservation of the brain form, the 

 distinctness of the sulcal pattern is striking. 



This investigation shows that in the material there are included two species of 

 baboon. The skuUs of both, as compared with Papio porcarius, are relatively small, 

 and do not exhibit the high degree of specialisation seen in the latter type. 



All the endocranial casts belong to the one species which has been called Papio 

 Africanus. The brain of this fossil species, as revealed by the endocranial casts, was 

 in its form, relative development of the lobes, and in the nature of its sulcal pattern, 

 of a lower order than that of the modern South African baboon. 



The teeth closely resemble those of Papio porcarius, though minor differences are 

 observed. 



It is evident from the study of the material that these fossil species did not belong 

 to the modern baboon species of Papio porcarius, but to species which have since 

 disappeared as living species from the South African fauna. 



