1892.] Presents. 525 



Egyptians, 5 Hindoos, 8 Australians, and a small number of examples 

 •f several other races. The results obtained were compared with 

 those given by Professor Sir William Turner in his monograph on 

 the Human Crania and Bones of the Skeleton, collected during the 

 voyage of H.M.S. " Challenger." 



The mean index calculated from the two series of observations, 

 disregarding sex, is 106*7; of the males alone, 103"5. The human 

 sacrum is thus generally broader than long, as already known ; and 

 the female sacrum is relatively broader than the male. 



The races dealt with maybe divided into three classes : — (a.) Those 

 distinctly dolichohieric, with a sacral index below 100, including the 

 Kaffir, Hottentot, and Bushman, (b.) Those which may be called 

 sub-platyhieric, with an index between 100 and 106, including the 

 Andamanese, Australian, Chinese, Tasmanian, and Negro races, 

 (c.) Those which are clearly platyhieric, with an index over 106, in- 

 cluding American, ancient Egyptian, Melanesian and Polynesian, 

 Hindoo, European, and other races examined. 



4. The sacral curvature was examined in 236 cases, of which 82 

 were males, 38 females, and the rest of unknown sex. The curve is 

 generally deepest opposite the third sacral vertebra, and is more 

 deeply curved below than above that point. It is not an equal and 

 uniform curve, but is flattened above, and possesses a more pro- 

 nounced curvature below the third sacral vertebra. This occurs in 

 both sexes and in all races. A promontory between the first and 

 second sacral vertebrae occurs frequently, in the majority of cases in 

 association with an additional sacral vertebra, and more often in the 

 male than in the female. 



The female sacrum is more frequently curved more deeply in the 

 upper part of the bone than the male sacrum. 



The actual depth of the curve, that is, the amount of curvature, 

 is greater in the male than in the female, irrespective of the absolute 

 size of the sacrum. The amount of curvature is greatest in the 

 European races, and, apparently, greater in the European and Mon- 

 golian races than in the Negro and Polynesian. 



The Society adjourned over Ascension Day to Thursday, June 2. 



Presents, May 19, 1892. 



Transactions. 



Brisbane : — Queensland Branch of the Royal Geographical Society 

 of Australasia. Proceedings and Transactions. Vol. VII. Part 

 1. 8vo. Brisbane 1892. The Society. 



Kiel: — Naturwissenschaftlicher Yerein fiir Schleswig-Holstein. 

 Schriften. Bd. IX. Heft 2. 8vo. Kiel 1892. The Society. 



