THE ABORIGINES OF TASMANIA. 425 



wedge-shaped discs contributed about three times more than the bodies to produce the 

 forward convexity in the lumbar region. The influence exercised by the discs has 

 been amply confirmed by subsequent anatomists. 



Corresponding opportunities of determining the part taken by the discs in the black 

 races generally have not as yet occurred ; but Dr Cunningham * was able to study the 

 curvature in the non-macerated spine of an aboriginal Australian girl aged 16. He 

 stated that the lumbar convexity was very pronounced, and closely corresponded with 

 that existing in European women : the curvature was due to the strong, wedge-shaped 

 intervertebral discs. There can be no doubt that in other black races the lumbar 

 region, with its bodies and discs, is convex forwards in the adult ; and as the bodies 

 themselves contribute little if anything to its production, the discs are the dominant 

 factor in giving to the completed spine a kurtorachic character, as distinguished from 

 the koilorachic curve formed when the surfaces of the bodies are directly apposed to 

 each other. 



Ribs. — The ribs were much more slender than in European men. They increased 

 in length from the 1st to the 6 th, and diminished from the 7th to the 12th. The 1st 

 rib was 65 mm. in a straight line from the head to the sternal end, the 12th was 

 88 mm. The length of the 6th along the convexity was 274 mm. The 1st rib had a 

 rudimentary scalene tubercle and a shallow subclavian groove ; on its inner border 

 and upper surface close to the sternal end was a raised smooth area for articulation 

 apparently with the clavicle. The tubercles from the 1st to the 9th ribs were 

 articular ; they were absent from the 10th to the 12th. 



Sternum. — This bone consisted of manubrium, body, and a,, rudimentary pointed 

 xiphi-sternum. The length of the sternum was 117 mm., that of the manubrium 

 41 mm.; the broadest part of the manubrium was 50 mm., that of the body 45 mm. 

 The surfaces of the bone were flattened. The manubrium was not fused with the 

 body, but the xiphi-sternum was anchylosed to it. I have given examples in my 

 Challenger Report from other aboriginal races of the xiphi-sternum preceding the 

 manubrium in being fused with the body of the bone. The clavicular facets were 

 distinct, the presternal notch was shallow. The lateral border of the manubrium 

 had the customary facets for the 1st rib and half the second; that of the body 

 articulated with 4 costal cartilages, with half the second and half the seventh, and the 

 rest of the 7th cartilage was jointed to the xiphi-sternum. 



Pelvis. — The pelvic bones were entire. The alse of the ilium were expanded and 

 the fossae were translucent ; the auricular surfaces were normal and the prseauricular 

 sulcus was present ; the crest, with its spine and tubercle, was distinct. The pubic 

 spines and symphysis were well formed ; the pectineal lines and eminences were 

 moderate. The ischial spines and tuberosities were well marked. The obturator 

 foramen was elongated ; the vertical diameter 48 mm. and the transverse 31 mm. gave 

 an obturator index 64'6. The margin of the cotyloid cavity was well defined : the 



* Proc. Roy. Soc, London, vol. xlv. p. 301, Jan. 1889. 



