366 DR MATTHEW YOUNG. 



2. Examination of the Scottish Skull by Biometrtc Methods. 



Within recent years much attention has been directed to the application of 

 modern biometric methods to investigations into the characters of various collections 

 of crania, and what is described as the "rational" method of treating craniometric 

 statistics has been evolved. Two of the pioneers in this movement have been 

 Pearson (19) and Galton (20), who, while not devising this method of treating 

 statistical facts (which is due, I believe, to Quetelet (2l) as far back as 1846), have 

 revived and extended the method devised by the latter. Fawcett and Lee (22), 

 according to Robertson (9), were the first "to apply modern statistical methods to 

 any series of skull measurements," though Stieda (24) published " the first scientific 

 determination of the variabilities of the skull." Others who have taken a notable 

 part in this movement are Macdonnell (12), Boas (26), Tschepourkowsky (27), and 

 Berry (28). Fawcett (22) in her paper on the Naquada crania states " that cranio- 

 metry cannot in future content itself with either the raw measurements, tables of 

 mere averages, or graphical exhibition of correlation results, but must adopt the 

 methods of modern statistical investigation, tabulating means, variabilities, corre- 

 lations, and their probable errors in order to draw safe inferences and make racial 

 comparisons"; and further, that "the correlation of the mean values of the chief 

 craniological characters in 50 or 100 races would be a most valuable investigation, 

 breaking practically untrodden ground" : while Macdonnell (12) says, " I venture to 

 think that the chief aim of craniologists at present should be to table means, standard 

 deviations, and correlations of further long series of skulls " ; and again, " Only when 

 that collection is far more complete will it be possible to state general conclusions 

 applying to the whole range of craniology, and when such tables are formed for 40 or 

 50 long series we shall have more light not only on intraracial but on interracial 

 problems." It is impossible to estimate at its proper value how much we are indebted 

 to Pearson not only for the numerous and important, in fact, invaluable papers he has 

 contributed himself on the subject, but for the way he has influenced, controlled, and 

 advised various other investigators, in addition to supplying formulae which have in 

 many cases made comparatively easy what seemed formerly interminable calculations. 



Having made a full and complete comparison of the values of the characters of 

 the male and female groups of our series of skulls with the values in the correspond- 

 ing groups in Turner's series, adopting Turner's measurements and methods of 

 examination, which the supporters of the new school are pleased to call the 

 " empirical " method of treating cranial statistics, although none the less valuable 

 on that account, I shall proceed to apply the modern biometric methods to the 

 present series of Scottish skulls. I feel I cannot do better than follow the scheme 

 adopted by Fawcett in her study of the Naquada crania, and also by Macdonnell in 

 his study of the Whitchapel English crania and other series of English skulls. It 

 will be necessary in the first place for comparative purposes to construct a table with 



