396 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. IX. 



it belongs. Mr. Somanader guarantees these as being the 

 skulls of absolutely pure-blooded Veddas, a race, he says, now 

 almost extinct." 



The skull, in all probability female, is without a face. 

 Perhaps there belonged to it a senile under-jaw with totally 

 obliterated alveolar cavities, perpendicular and delicate rami 

 and condyles, which, by arthritis chronica senilis, are 

 changed ; the skull, however, does not give the impression 

 of having belonged to such a very old person. This skull is 

 unusually small ; its measure inside is only 1,025 cub. cm.; it 

 is therefore almost nannocephalous. It is, beside being very 

 crooked, especially depressed on the left side posteriorly, 

 short, though rather broad and high. The index amounts 

 to 806 ; it is therefore brachycephalous. The reason for this 

 abnormity is probably an artificial, or accidental, defor- 

 mation ; for although it has a synosteosis of the under 

 coronal and the spheno-frontal suture, the main aberrations 

 are in the occipital region. The other sutures are much inden- 

 ted. The squama occipitalis is very high, and the lambdoidal 

 angle acute ; no pro tuber antia externa. Tubera on the brow 

 and parietal bones strongly developed ; the brow much 

 arched. Orbitw, so far as their form is recognisable, very 

 large. 



Skull No. 5. 



This is a male skull, unfortunately also without a face, 

 but in all other respects quite uninjured. Its capacity is 

 considerably greater (1,360 cub. cm.) than that of the two 

 female skulls, but in itself not large. The surface is covered 

 with distinct traces of muscle, especially the back head, where 

 the fades (muscularis squama? occipitalis ) show very deep 

 impressions : the protuberantia externa is unusually strong 

 and hooked in form, and the linea semi-circularis superior 

 makes a strong V-shaped projection. Also the nasal and 

 orbital prominences are strong, although not specially large. 

 The capsule of the skull is distinctly dolichocephalous, with 

 an index of 73, showing in a side view a long finely- 



