CRANIA FROM THE MOUNDS OF FLORIDA. 445 



The rods are adjustable and can be fixed at any point by screws. Clamped to 

 the canula is a movable bracket for supporting the base of the skull. This 

 instrument was manufactured by Richardson & Metzger, Philadelphia, and can be 

 now procured of Ferdinand Metzger of the same city. 



A small instrument which I have devised for measuring the alveolo-basilar 

 length, the orbito-nasion length, the palatal length, choanal height, etc., is worthy 

 of commendation. It is a simple rod marked in centimeters and millimeters and a 

 sliding guide which is sufficiently long to serve as a support to the nasion in making 

 the orbital measurements and to the alveolar point in making the alveolo-nasion and 

 the palatal length. After many futile efforts to induce instrument makers to under- 

 take its manufacture, the little model I have used was kindly made for me by Dr. 

 Milton J. Greenman of the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology. 



In taking nasal, orbital, transverse palatal measurements, etc., I have employed 

 a small instrument based on Flower's craniometer. It has proved to be invaluable. 



II. 



The Classification of Crania proposed by James Aitken Meigs. — I have em- 

 ployed this classification, and it is proper that it should be here copied in full, since 

 the original paper x has been overlooked by writers. Meigs does not state which of 

 the names are original with himself, though most of them are so. He knew that 

 Esquimaux crania had been described as "pyramidal" and that the word "prog- 

 nathic or negroid" was in general use. The novelty of the term last quoted con- 

 sisted in its application to the North American Indian. 



The cymbecephalic of Meigs is the same as the " kumbo-cephalic" of D. Wilson. 

 " In the primitive or elongated dolichokephalic type, for which the distinctive title of 

 kumbo-cephalic is here suggested, — the parietal diameter is remarkably small, being 

 frequently exceeded by the vertical diameters." 2 The same author describes a 

 skull 3 which "nearly agrees with the lengthened oval form described by Prof. 

 Nillson (sic) as the second race of the Scandinavian tumuli. They have mostly a 

 singularly narrow and elongated occiput ; and with their comparatively low and 

 narrow forehead, might not inaptly be described by the familiar term boat-shaped." 

 Fig. 7 of Wilson is almost identical with the crania named cymbecephalic by Meigs. 

 — " Cymbo-cephalic " is held by Rolleston 4 to be equivalent to " scapho-cephalic," 5 

 and to be the same as " birnformig," " keulenformig," "elongate-oval," and coffin- 

 shaped — cuneate oval — of various writers. 6 



1 " Observations upon the Cranial Forms of the American Aborigines, based upon specimens 

 contained in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia." Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1866, 

 232. 



2 Archaeol. and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, 1851, 177. 



3 L. e. page 169. 



4 British Barrows, 615. 



5 The term scaphocephalic is used vaguely by writers. It might be discarded with advantage. 



6 Ibid, 651. 



