70 Dr. Edward L. Moss, 



and a half inches in length, and by comparing it with femora 

 from old Eskimo graves on an island near Egedesminde, I esti- 

 mate its restored length at sixteen inches. When its front is 

 placed on a level surface the antero-posterior curve deviates a quar- 

 ter of an inch from the horizontal at either end. As may be seen 

 from the annexed section it is as carinate as most platycnemic 

 femora. There are two nutritious foramina three and three- 

 quarters and three inches below the lesser trochanter. Its mini- 

 mum circumference is three inches below the lesser trochanter, 

 and measures 343 inches. This with the estimated length gives 

 a perimetral index of -214. 



If its index were taken at the English average, i.e., 194, its 

 restored length would be 17*68 inches, but the bone is evidently 

 shorter than an average English femur, and the former estimate 

 is probably the more accurate. 



If Aeby's statement that races do not materially differ in the 

 relative proportions of their limbs is correct, we may roughly 

 estimate the stature of the man who owned this bone. The pro- 

 portionate measurements of the skeleton given by Pruner Bey 

 make the femur 27'29 in 100 of total height. Humphry's average 

 is slightly greater, but calculating by either of them the man when 

 living must have stood a little over 5 feet. 



A careful search was made round the spot where this bone lay. 

 The ground was very uneven. Some vertebras and the skull of a 

 young musk-ox were found within 200 yards. 



It seemed probable that a longer search would have led to 

 the discovery of some dilapidated cairn or cyst, for if the bone 

 had been recent when first exposed to the attacks of carnvbra, 

 the medullary cavity would certainly have been broken into. 



But no other vestige of man or trace of anything like a burial^ 

 place could be discovered before movements of the ice between 

 our boat and the ship put a peremptory stop to our proceedings. 

 The A lert and Discovery were then only waiting for an opening 

 across the ice of Lady Franklin Strait to begin their return 

 vo}'age. and our visit to the spot was never repeated. 



