Description of a microcephalous new-born pig , etc. 447 
Description of a microcephalous new-born pig in which the face 
and the fore-parts of the brain were undeveloped, and the bucco- 
pharyngeal membrane remained imperforate. By W. L. H. 
Duckworth, M.D., Sc.D., Jesus College, University Lecturer in 
Physical Anthropology. 
[Read 27 January 1908.] 
[Plates XV, XVI.] 
The specimen, Plate xv, Fig. 1, which forms the subject of the 
following communication was the only abnormal individual out of 
a litter of seven born at the usual term of pregnancy. I received 
the body in a perfectly fresh condition, though, as will clearly appear 
in the sequel, death must have been caused by asphyxia as soon as 
the umbilical cord had been severed. With the exception of the 
head, the body was found to be quite normally formed : this 
statement applies not only to the external conformation, but to 
the viscera and other anatomical structures so far as these were 
examined. The appearance of the head was sufficiently striking 
and abnormal. The ears were present, but the face was replaced 
by a smooth and rather spheroidal eminence, without eyes, nose or 
mouth (Plate xv, Figs. 1 and 2). On the anterior aspect of this 
eminence a small papilla was situated and from the surface of this, 
a tuft of fine hairs projected. The right (external) ear was not 
very different from a normal example except in that it was rather 
small. The left ear was distinctly smaller, and also thick and 
fleshy. It should be noted that although the ears were not 
separated by a wide interval on the ventral surface, yet they were 
quite distinct, no fusion having occurred at all. This distinctness 
and separation of the ears excludes such a monstrous example 
from the class known as Otocephalus (in which the ears are 
conjoined below the mandible). The absence of the respiratory 
openings and mouth led to the asplryxiation of the monster, so soon 
as respiration through the placental circulation was at an end. 
On proceeding to remove the brain and spinal cord, I soon 
discovered that the skull was extraordinarily thick and dense. 
In form the cranium appeared globular (cf. Fig. 16) and removal 
of the encephalon was rendered rather difficult by the small size 
of the brain-case as well as by its thickness and density. After 
removal of the encephalon, it was noticed that the skull wall in 
the region of the petrous bones was converted into a modified 
osseous tissue of almost porcelain-like appearance and hardness. 
The central nervous system after removal presented the 
remarkable appearance represented in Plate xv, Fig. 3 (a lateral 
