THE CALAVERAS SKULL. 273 
ridges over the orbits are strongly marked, and the lower border of the opening of the nostrils is not 
sharp ; but, as in some of the crania of many savage races, is rounded, and the malar bones are 
prominent. The strongly marked borders of the orbits are the most striking features of the 
fragment. 
“« Extended comparisons of crania clearly show that the range of variation in the individual char- 
acters of a given race is quite large. This is well illustrated in the results obtained by the emi- 
nent American craniologist, Dr. Meigs, in regard to the ratio between the breadth and the length 
among the American aborigines, in one and the same race, some having the long and others the 
broad head. Ina series of skulls from one of the Hawaian Islands we have found the long and 
broad heads in nearly equal proportions, the breadth varying from 0.72 to 0.94 of the length. As 
other features offer similar differences, any conclusions based upon a single skull are liable to prove 
erroneous, unless we have sufficient grounds for the belief that such a skull is a representative one 
of the race to which it belongs. Ifthis consideration had been kept in view, much useless discussion 
in regard to the celebrated Neanderthal skull might have been avoided. We have no sufficient 
reason for assuming in the present instance that the skull is a representative one ; and, in view of 
this circumstance, the results given in the following table must be considered as applicable only to 
an individual, not to a race. Future discoveries can alone decide its real value. 
Breadth of Breadth of Frontal Length Height of Zygomatic 
Cranium. Frontal.* Arch. of Frontal, Cranium. Diameter. 
22 Esquimaux . : : : : 134.5 94 296.5 126.6 135 137.6 
5 From Alaska . : : : . 133.5 - 92.8 285.5 121.8 129.5 132 
11 from different parts of California . 150.5 93.5 260 117 120.8 134 
3 Digger Indians ‘ : ; . 136.6 88.3 280 119 120.3 141.5 
Fossil skull. ; : 150 101 300 128 134 t 145 
(The measurements are in millimeters.) 
“The above table of measurements shows : — 
“1. That the skull presents no signs of having belonged to an inferior race. In its breadth it 
agrees with the other crania from California, except those of the Diggers, but surpasses them in 
the other particulars in which comparisons have been made. This is especially obvious in the 
greater prominence of the forehead and the capacity of its chamber. 
“2. In so far as it differs in dimensions from the other crania from California, it approaches the 
Esquimaux.” 
The above seems all that is necessary to be said, in this place, in regard to the famous Cala- 
veras skull. Further discussion of the facts may be reserved for the close of this section; and it 
is intended that the general résumé of all the results of the gravel investigations, in a future chap- 
ter, shall also include some additional remarks on the question of the antiquity of the human 
race on the Pacific coast, and the catastrophes which it has survived. We may pass now to some 
other occurrences of a similar character, in the same county, but which have not az yet been laid 
before the public. 
The fact that human implements had been found in some of the mining claims near San 
Andreas, in gravel under the volcanic strata, was repeatedly mentioned to the writer by persons liv- 
ing in that vicinity, and Mr. Voy was successful in finding some of the parties personally con- 
cerned in these finds, and getting their written testimony in regard to them. The geological con- 
ditions in the vicinity of San Andreas closely resemble those of the locality just described. Tho 
* This is the breadth of the frontal at its narrowest part when the skull is viewed from above. 
+ Measured from the anterior edge of the foramen magnum to the level of the top of the frontal, and an 
inch behind it on the inside.* 
* These measurements can, of course, be only considered as approximations ; the fragmentary condition of the 
skull must be taken into consideration in this connection. 
