SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS— H. 469 



Prof. E. W. Le Gros Clark, F.R.S., and Dr. G. M. Morant.— T^e 

 Swanscombe fossil ( 1 1 .40). 



The Swanscombe fossil consists of complete occipital and left parietal 

 bones of an individual whose age is estimated to be 20 to 25. A comparison 

 of the measurements and contours of the bones shows that the great majority 

 of their characters, whether considered singly or in combination, fall well 

 within the range of variation exhibited by Homo sapiens. It can also be inferred 

 that the cranial capacity of the complete skull (estimated at about 1,325 cc.) 

 was quite unexceptional. There are certain peculiarities of the archaic 

 specimen such as the breadth of the occipital bone, the thickness of both bones, 

 the extension backwards of the sphenoidal air sinus into the basi-occipital 

 bone, and the high degree of asymmetry of the markings on the endocranial 

 aspect of the occipital bone. These features, however, can be matched in 

 modern skulls. The endocranial cast shows that the cerebral hemispheres 

 were well convoluted, and there is no certain evidence that the convolutional 

 pattern was in any way of a primitive type. Although the cast gives the 

 impression of a somewhat ' ill-filled ' skull (i.e. the contours are rather 

 angular instead of being well rounded), it indicates that the brain of this 

 Acheulian fossil had acquired a status comparable with that of modern man. 



It is, of course, necessary to admit that the missing parts of the 

 Swanscombe skull may have been distinctly different from those of modern 

 man, but on the evidence of the fragments which are available it is suggested 

 that this fossil man was indistinguishable from Homo sapiens. 



Dr. D. A. E. Garrod. 

 The observations of Sir A. Keith and Prof. Le Gros Clark on the Swans- 

 combe fossil prepare us for the possibility that we may have to recognise 

 the existence of man of modern type associated with the hand-axe cultures. 

 If this should prove to be the case, it will have a bearing on the Kanam and 

 Kanjera problem. However unsatisfactory the circumstances surrounding 

 the discovery of these fragments (and this must be recognised), the difficulties 

 raised, inherent in the specimens themselves, will be resolved if man of modern 

 type should prove to be associated with Acheulean tools at Swanscombe. 

 It is only just to recognise that Dr. Leakey has always maintained the 

 probability of this association, and it now seems likely that further dis- 

 coveries at Swanscombe will show that he is right. 



(concurrently with above session.) 



Dr. E. J. LiNDGREN. — Winter life in Swedish Lapland (lo.o). 



In the Sirkas district of Norbottens Ian there are both Karesuando Lapps, 

 recently emigrated from the north, and Jokkmokk Lapps, old inhabitants 

 of the area. At first there was much friction between the newcomers, 

 driven southwards by Norwegian boundary restrictions, and the Lapps 

 whose pastures they invaded, but mutual adjustments have now been made. 



Every year the Lapps leave their summer encampments in the mountains 

 to spend the winter in the forested country further south, some of them 

 travelling over a hundred miles. The children then go away to boarding- 

 school, while most of the women, infants and a few old men stay in small 

 towns where they live in log huts usually rented by the month from Swedes 

 or Finns. 



The rest of the men live in tents or huts out in the woods, mspectmg 

 the reindeer at least every other day and often rounding them up so that 



