DISTORTIONS OF THE HUMAN CRANIUM. 421 



British cemeteries seem to point to an analogous condition of races. 

 In my original investigations into the physical characteristics of the 

 primitive races of Scotland, I vf as led from observed facts, to separate 

 from the others an elongated dolichocephalic type of head, for which 

 the distinctive title of kumbecephalic was suggested, — derived from 

 its peculiar boat-like shape, — and to arrange this provisionally as the 

 oldest in the order of succession of Scottish cranial forms. Of the 

 insufficiency of the dafca then accessible for any absolute conclusion^ 

 on so important a point I was fully aware, and accordingly I remarked, 

 when setting forth the idea with the accompanying evidence : " Of 

 the existence of primitive races prior to the Celtse, I think no doubt 

 can now be entertained. Of the order of their succession, and their 

 exact share in the changes and progressive development of the native 

 arts which the archaeologist detects, we still stand in need of further 

 proof; and the assumed primeval position of the kumbecephalic 

 race of Scotland is advanced here only interrogatively, and with the 

 view of inducing others to take up the same interesting inquiry. 

 The subject demands much more extended observation before any 

 such conclusion can be dogmatically affirmed concerning the primitive 

 Scottish races. We have also still to obtain the proofs of that abrupt 

 change from the one form to the other, only to be procured as the 

 result of numerous independent observations, but which can alone 

 satisfactorily establish the fact of the intrusion of new races."* 



The idea thus thrown out, as deduced from direct, though neces- 

 sarily limited observation, had this further significance, that it either 

 indicated the primitive races of Britain to have succeeded each 

 other in a different order from those hitherto recognized by Scandin- 

 avian ethnologists and archaeologists in relation to Northern Europe, 

 or it pointed to a race which had preceded their oldest Allophylise. 

 Its reception from the large class of antiquaries who practically 

 believe in no world older than the Romans, could easily be guessed ; 

 but while challenged on the one hand as improbable or false, on the 

 other it very speedily received partial confirmation from independent 

 observations, and especially from those of Mr. Thomas Bateman of 

 Lomberdale House, Derbysliire. In a communication to the British 

 Archagological Association, soon after the publication of my views, 

 Mr. Bateman states as the result of extensive investigations chiefly 

 in the Derbyshire grave-mounds, that the chambered barrows, which 



* Archceology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, p. 177- 



