4C0 



The Variability of the Human Skeleton, 



(2) The mode of dispersion of the variations about the mean 

 would appear to be distinctly skew, and the range given by the 

 theoretical curves would seem to be generally limited. The fre- 

 quency curves are steeper on the negative side than on the positive 

 side of the origin, hence there is greater variability towards long 

 bones than towards short bones, that is, abnormality in the direction 

 of giants is greater than in the direction of dwarfs. 



(3) The femora of the New Race were strongly pilastric, occasion- 

 ally they were platymeric, but then the pilastric index* was generally 

 low. This observation is in accordance with Professor Manouvrier's 

 statement that platymerism is more frequently exhibited in femora 

 with low than with high pilastric indices. 



(4) The length of the head + neck of the femur in proportion to 

 the total length of the bone is greater in man than in woman. I 

 find that in the New Race the angle of the neck with the shaft is- 

 larger in woman than in man, though on somewhat scant data the 

 reverse is stated to be the case in Europeans. 



(5) In the New Race the angle of torsion of the femur is much 

 greater than in Europeans ; it is suggested that this angle may be 

 found to be a race character. 



(6) The angle which the condyles of the femur make with the 

 horizontal plane, when the bone is held upright in the maximum 

 position, is greater in woman than in man. This would appear to 

 be due to the greater width of the pelvis. It is suggested that this 

 angle might yield valuable information as to the width of the pelvis 

 in prehistoric peoples. 



(7) The tibiae exhibited platycnemia to a marked degree. A cor- 

 relation is believed to exist between the flattening of the tibia and 

 the condition of the pilastre of the femur; hence as the pilastric 

 condition would seem to be produced by a vigorous musculature 

 platycnemia may probably be referred to a similar cause, and so it is 

 not an atavistic character. 



(8) Perforation of the septum between the olecranon and coronoid 

 fossae of the humerus was very frequent. Also it occurred more 

 often in the female than in the male, and on the left side than on the 

 right. It is suggested that in man this perforation is frequently 

 incidental, and is due to the impact of the beak of the olecranon 

 against the septum in extension of the arm. 



(9) Many of the ulnae were conspicuously incurved. The olecranon 

 was remarkable for its variation in size. 



(10) The femur + tibia is longer on the left side than on the 

 right, while the right humerus -f- radius is very considerably greater 



.. t,., . . . t anteroposterior diameter x 100 m , _ 



* Pilas'.ric index = - r — — — The measurements are 



diameter from right to left 



taken at the middle of t je shaft. 



