THE SKELETON 63 
Only very rarely—and then, as a rule, in the lower races of 
mankind (Negroes and Australian aborigines)—does it remain 
distinct throughout its whole extent in later years, in otherwise 
normal skulls. The striking manner in which the original 
independence of the premaxillary bones is shown in people 
affected with the deformity known as hare-lip 1s well known. 
The number of incisors connected with the premaxillary will be con- 
sidered later in dealing with the buccal cavity. It may here, however, 
be remarked that Comparative Anatomy affords no explanation of the double 
nature ascribed by Albrecht to each half of the human intermaxillary bone. 
Quite recently Waldeyer has drawn attention to certain 
peculiarities of the hard palate, ic. variations in the posterior 
Fic. 44.—THE Harp Patats, A, OF A CAUCASIAN ; B, OF THE NEGRO ; C, OF AN ADULT 
ORANG-UTAN. Showing the differences in shape of the bones. The palate of the 
Negro represents a type transitional between that of the Caucasian and that of the 
Orang. ; 
nasal spine, which had previously escaped recognition, and I 
have confirmed his observations. This spine (Fig. 44) is deriva- 
tive of the horizontal plates of the palatine bones (pl.), and is thus 
morphologically paired. Not infrequently a more or less marked 
double spine is found, and where this is most evident the hori- 
zontal plates of the palatines may sometimes not even meet in 
the middle line. In the latter case the palatine processes of the 
maxillze may run back along opposite sides of the middle line, so 
as to take part in the formation of the posterior edge of the hard 
palate. These deviations from the normal arrangement have 
been observed in the skulls of Men and Gorillas. 
There are further interesting variations in the relative 
positions of the palatine bone and the palatine process of the 
