THE ABORIGINES OF TASMANIA. 453 



by successive stages of gradual perfecting of structure, from the lowest or from any 

 existing black race. 



The survey to which the skulls and skeletons generally, of examples of the existing 

 black and white races, have been subjected in this memoir and their comparison with 

 the scanty remains of palaeolithic man and with the skeletons of the anthropoid apes 

 give strength to the opinion which I had previously expressed. 



To account therefore, on the theory of descent, for the origin of man's physical 

 structure from a pre-existing lower mammalian form, the pedigree of his body requires 

 to be traced further back than the existing anthropoid apes. It is possible that 

 Pithecanthropus may represent a stage in the process of evolution, and, from the 

 dimensions of the calvaria and the apparent capacity of the brain case, it is in more 

 direct line with existing man than with any form of ape with which we are at present 

 acquainted. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES I., II. 



The process blocks of figs. 1, 2, 3 are reproduced from photographs by Mr Ernest J. Henderson, who 

 also traced the outline figures of the skulls reproduced in the text. Figs. 4 to 8 are reproduced from 

 drawings of the objects made by Mr R. H. Campbell. 



Plate I. ,■ 



Fig. 1. Norma lateralis of the Tasmanian skull, No. 310, in the Royal Museum, Brussels. 

 ,, 2. Frontoparietal view of the same skull. 

 ,, 3. Norma facialis of the same skull. 



„ 4. Occipital surface of Tasmanian, No. 7, Part I., in the University Anatomical Museum, l.supr., 

 linea suprema ; in., inion ; scl., superior curved line (linea superior or torus occipitalis); 

 cr., crest; id., inferior curved line ; prm., processus retromastoideus. 

 The figures in this plate and figures 5, 6, 8 in Plate II. are reduced in size. 



Plate II. 



Fig. 5. Supraorbital region with torus supraorbitalis, Tasmanian, No. 6, Part I. 

 ,, 6. Nasal region, Tasmanian, No. 1, Part I., showing crista and fossa praeuasalis and margo infranasalis. 

 ,, 7. Nasal region, young Gorilla, natural size, University Anatomical Museum. 



„ 8. Upper end of left femur, Tasmanian, Brussels Museum, x, the extension of the articular area on 

 the neck. 



