362 AVERAGE WEIGHT OF THE BRAIN IN THE 



The argument sustained by myself respecting the Neanderthal fragment was that 

 it is of abnormal form, not a race-skull at all, and that this abnormity is the conse- 

 quence of premature synostosis of the cranial bones. That its parietal bones are not 

 so long as is usual among synostotic, or intra-parietal synostotic skulls, does not in- 

 validate this argument. Although the Neanderthal fragment is long, its extreme 

 length, according to Prof Huxley, is eight inches. Still the most striking peculiarity 

 it exhibits is the extreme depression across the frontal behind its enormously thick 

 superciliary ridges, which Prof. Schaaflfhausen regarded as " unquestionably a typical 

 race-character," and which led Prof Huxley to speak of it as " the most pithecoid of 

 human crania yet discovered."* What led me to write anything upon this Neander- 

 thal skull was the fact that I found in my own collection a remarkable English skull, 

 which comes the nearest in its form to the Neanderthal of any cranium yet known, 

 and which owes its peculiarities to premature synostosis of its bones. The method I 

 pursued was somewhat of the empirical kind, — merely to apply the explanation 

 which was applicable to the one to the other. That the premature ossification of the 

 sutures surrounding the alisphenoids, and of the coronal suture, gave rise to much of 

 the peculiar form of the permanent frontal bone of the Neanderthal, the remainder 

 being occasioned by individual expansion of the frontal sinuses, still seems to me to 

 be satisfactory and conclusive. 



Note. — The craniological collection which has afforded the extensive data for the 

 following tables is described in an octavo volume just issued, entitled: Thesaurus 

 Cranioeum : Catalogue of the Skulls of the various Races of Man, in the Collection 

 of Joseph Barnard Davis, M.D., F.S.A., etc. London, 1867. This work supplies a 

 great amount of information respecting the origin of the skulls, their authenticity, and 

 a great variety of other points of interest and importance bearing reference to this 

 inquiry. 



* Professor Vogt goes further, and speaks of tlie Neanderthal as having " more of the Simian type than any 

 other known race-skull." — Lectures on Man, p. 194. This is assuming the race-character of the skull, which 

 there is not the slightest perceptible ground for assuming. 



