586 THE NEANDERTHAL SKULL 
Roman period, and his statements fully bear out the conclusion at 
which Mr. Busk and I arrived, that the Engis specimen isa fair average 
human skull. 
With regard to the Neanderthal skull Mr. Turner remarks— 
“The Neanderthal skull unquestionably possesses a very remark- 
able shape, one which sufficiently distinguishes it from other known 
crania. But we must inquire whether its anatomical characters are 
altogether exceptional. Is it not possible, by carefully examining an 
extensive collection of skulls, such as are presented to the anatomist 
in a large museum or dissecting room, to find crania closely allied to 
it in some of those features which are regarded as most distinctive?” 
This is the precise question which I asked myself when I first 
undertook to investigate the matter, and I am rejoiced to find that a 
careful observer, like Mr. Turner, arrives, by independent observation, 
at results similar to my own. Thus Mr. Turner finds, and_ partly 
figures, four modern British crania with very projecting superciliary 
ridges ; though, as he is careful to observe, “none of them exhibit so 
massive a form at the external orbital processes as the Neanderthal 
skull.” 
He shows also, that some modern British crania have the forehead 
very retreating, and that many combine this character with a sloping 
occiput, so as, in these respects, much to resemble the Neanderthal 
skull. 
Mr. Turner makes the important and just remark :— 
“Tt would be quite possible to arrange from materials to which I 
have access, a series of modern British skulls, in which the variation 
may be traced from a well-marked posterior occipital bulging to a con- 
figuration of the upper occipital region closely approaching the form 
of the Neanderthal skull. In the skull cap represented in fig. 3, the 
diminished occipital convexity is almost equal to that of the last- 
named cranium.” 
And concludes with the following words :—- 
“ From the comparison which has thus been instituted, I have no 
hesitation in saying that, although we may not be able to produce an- 
other skull possessing a combination of all those characters which are 
regarded as so distinctive of the Neanderthal skull, yet the examin- 
ation of an extensive series of crania will shew us that these characters 
are closely paralleled, not only in the crania of many savage races now 
existing, but even in those of modern European nations. 
“ How cautious therefore ought we to be in generalising either as 
to the pithecoid affinities or psychical endowments of the man to whom 
it appertained, It is as yet but an isolated specimen ; of its history, 
