59 



Viewed from above, it appears like a rounded oval, occipital region 

 flattened, right side more than left, asymmetry slightly less than in other 

 specimens. Parietal tubers prominent. Serration of sutures fine. 



The right profile, which is more complete than the left one, shows an 

 almost perpendicular but slightly outward curved outline of the occipital 

 region, while in the left view the occipital is seen to bulge out to con- 

 siderable extent. Temporal ridge narrow and sharp. Mastoid process 

 narrow and small. 



A front view shows nothing but the narrow and straight forehead, 

 with tolerably developed tubera, and very slight superciliary ridges. 



Viewed from behind, the roof of the skull appears rather flat, with 

 only a slight curvature of the parietals from the sagittal suture to 

 the tubera, while the rest of the outline is similar to that of skull A. 

 Serration of lambdoidal suture complicated. Muscular insertions of the 

 lower portion of the occipital tolerably developed. 



Owing to the defective condition of the skull only a limited number of 

 measurements could be obtained. In taking those of the frontal and 

 parietal arches and of the circumference onl^- one-half of the actual dis- 

 tance was measured, and in consequence of this the numbers thus 

 derived had to be multiplied by 2 in order to get the whole dimensions. 



Measurements. 



mm. 



Leno;th If 3 



Breadth 140 



Breiulth of frontal 118 



Fronta] arch 280 



Parietal arch 222 



Occipital arch 212 



Circnmference 460 



Length of frontal 129 



Length of parietal 131 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



Disregarding the two skulls obtained from the Tennessee mounds, 

 we notice, as characteristics of the others, the great height and 

 breadth of the cranium, which is most decidedly brachycephalic. As 

 the skulls are deformed we refrain from calculating the indices of height 

 and breadth. 



Denoting the excess of the longitudinal diameter as compared with 

 the transverse one as positive, and that of the transverse diameter as 

 compared with the longitudinal one as negative, we obtain the following 

 values : 



Desijruation 



of skull. L. B. 



No. 1 + 24""". 



No. 3 +19 



No. 1778 +13 



No. 1779 + 3 



It will readily be seen that the adult Abiquiu skull (1779) is more broad 

 than long, while the others are somewhat longer than they are broad. If 

 we were to calculate the index of breadth we would notice it to decrease in 

 the order adopted in the table, from skull No. 1779 upward. IIow far the 

 brachycephalic character is due to deformation cannot be decided by 

 means of the limited number of specimens on hand, but according to 

 the general features of the skulls, we consider ourselves justified in say- 

 ing that originally they were brachycephalic, and that in consequence of 

 the defornuition of the occiput the brachycephalic character is brought 

 to view more strikingly than it would be if the skulls had not been 



