128 THE HURON RACE AND ITS HEAD-FORM. 



istic feature, in which it diflfers from all other Indian crania that I 

 have studied, is the great elevation of the forehead. The frontal bone 

 is fully arched, the glabella are prominent, and the whole character of 

 the frontal region is in striking contrast to the ordinary native Amer- 

 ican head. In this respect there is comparatively uniform agreement 

 throughout all the Huron crania. They are true Indian skulls of the 

 modern type, with no indications of cerebral development adapted to 

 any higher stage of civilization than that which is known to have 

 pertained to them and other kindred tribes. 



If the Scioto Mound skull could be accepted with certainty as illus- 

 trating an ethnical type, it would help to confirm the most exaggerated 

 estimates of the civilization of the Mound Builders. Assuredly it is 

 not what Dr. Morton assumed it to be : " the perfection of Indian con- 

 formation," possessing the national characteristics of the American 

 aborigines in perfection. But if it be any fair example of the head- 

 form of the constructors of the great earth-works and other remains 

 abounding in the Ohio valley, it is highly suggestive of the superior 

 intellectual capacity by means of which they had advanced beyond the 

 Tude arts of such forest tribes as those of the Iroquois and Huron 

 confederacies. 



The indefatigable researches of Dr. Tache might be supposed to 

 furnish materials for determining the Huron type of head beyond all 

 controversy. To the experienced craniologist, however, it will be no 

 matter of surprise that they rather suggested, when first seen, some 

 doubt as to there being any specific Huron type. But, at any rate the 

 materials thus furnished, with later additions from other sources, admit 

 of a review of the whole question, with a view to results of somewhat 

 wider significance than those aimed at in a former study of Iroquois 

 and Huron crania. 



The sight of upwards of seventy skulls, all derived from the cemete- 

 ries of a single tribe or nation, is a peculiarly interesting, study to the 

 ethnologist. But to one at all impressed with the uniform persistency 

 of a specific ethnical type, the result is far from satisfactory. At the 

 first glance it feeemed as though they might be classed into half a 

 dozen types, having very little in common. The separation by sex 

 reduced this seemingly wide range of diversity within narrower limits. 

 But there still remained to be noted various diverging forms, and espe- 

 cially sundry long oval skulls, which viewed in reference to the cranial, 

 apart from the facial bones, not only differed essentiall}' from that Mon- 

 golian type usually assigned to the American aborigines ; but presented 



