218 BRAIN-WEIGHT ANB SIZE IN RELATION 



from other evidence, that quality of brain may, within certain limits, 

 be of more significance than mere quantity ; and that brains of the 

 same volume, and agreeing in weight, may greatly differ in minute 

 structure and in powers of cerebration. 



In the case of the ancient British Barrow Builders we seem to have 

 large heads and remarkable development of brain, without any indica- 

 tions of an equivalent in intellectual power; and although the estimated 

 brain- weight derived from gauging the capacity of the empty chamber 

 of the skull proceeds on the assumption of mass and weight agreeing, 

 sufficient data exist to justify the adoption of this for approximate 

 results. The average weight of brain of twelve male Negroes of 

 undetermined tribes, deduced from gauging their skulls, has been 

 determined at 1255 grammes, or 44-3 oz. The actual weight of brain 

 of the Negro of Gruiiiea described by Professor Calori, was 1260 

 gram.mes; and other examples vary considerably from the average. 

 Maseagni gives 1458 grammes as the weight of one Negro brain 

 weighed by him; equivalent to an actual brain- weight of 51 '5 oz., 

 which is greater than tlat of Dupuytren, Whewell, Hermann, or 

 Tiedemann. Nevertheless, although the extremes are great, and are 

 confirmed by a like diversity in measurements of the horizontal 

 circumference and of internal capacity, the average result given 

 above appears to be a fair and reliable one. But the same process, 

 when applied to determine the comparative cranial capacities of 

 the native American races, discloses results of a wholly different 

 character, and widely at variance with those above described relating 

 to the ancient races of Britain. On the continent of America the 

 native ethnical scale embraces a comparatively narrow range; and 

 any intrusive elemeiats are sufficiently recent to be easily eliminated. 

 The Patagonian and the Fuegian rank alongside of the Bushman, 

 the Andaman Islander, or the Australian, as among the lowest types 

 of humanity ; while the Aztecs, Mayas, Quichuas, and Aymaras, 

 attained to the highest scale which has been reached independently 

 by any native American ra6e. We owe to the zealous and indefati- 

 gable labours of Dr. Morton, alike in the formation of his great 

 collection of human crania, and in the published results embodied in 

 the " Crania Americana," the chief knowledge derived from this class 

 of evidence in reference to the races of the New World. In one 

 respect, at least, those results stand out in striking contrast to the 

 large-headed barbarian Barrow Builders of ancient Britain. Dr. 



