324 The Foetus of the Squahs Maximus. [June, 



The nasal aperture is wide and capacious, and nearly circular, owing 

 it would seem to the very divergent state or distance of the nasal pro- 

 cesses of the superior maxillae from each other ; tbe separation being to 

 the full extent of an inch, which is an unusual width for so small a 

 skull. Nasal bones large and prominent, with a good bridge-like con- 

 vexity. The styloid processes, which in a full grown male adult have 

 often only a ligamentous connection to the temporal bones, have here 

 an ossific union, and are withal unusually long and firm, considering 

 the age and sex of the individual. The great foramen at the base of 

 the skull is elongated from before backwards, and would seem to cor- 

 respond with the compi-essed sides of the head, and projecting state of 

 the occipital bone, on which the organs of amativeness and philopro- 

 genitiveness are rather fully developed. 



The only marked peculiarity observable in the lower ja^ is the re- 

 cedent chin, which being on a contrary inclination to the facial line, is 

 a further departure from the Grecian ideal model of beauty, while it 

 is a strong characteristic mark of Ethiopian descent. 



The vomer or bone forming the partition of the nose was found loose 

 in the cranial vault, and there is little doubt, must have been forced 

 there at the time of embalmment, when the ethmoid bone was broken 

 down, to allow of the removal of the brain and contents of the skull, 

 which, it is evident, could only have been disposed of through the 

 chamber of the nose. 



In my examination of this head, it appears to me, that the leading cha- 

 racters of the Caucasian vainety of the human race (under which both 

 ancient and modern Egyptian are included) in this individual instance 

 are far from being prominent, or distinct ; and as some of the peculiar 

 traits that characterize the Ethiopian formation, (taking it in its wide 

 extended sense,) on the other hand, are most conspicuous, it is not un- 

 likely that the subject of comparison may be of mixed origin, and pro- 

 bably of Egyptian and Abyssinian descent. 



IV. — Memorandum on the Foetus of the Squalus Maximus. By 

 Dr. J. T. Pearson, Curator. 



This specimen of the foetus of a shark having been sent to me by 

 Mr. J. C. Wilson, I have put it up in spirits, and have now the pleasure 

 of presenting it, in his name, to the Asiatic Society. 



The species appears to be the Squalus Maximus of Linnaeus ; and 

 Mr. Wilson states in his note that " a shark of 11 feet in length was 



