6 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
not in all cases measure between the same points of the pelvis, are in my judgment too 
few, and do not sufficiently bring out all the characters which require attention. 
I have employed, therefore, a larger number than these last-named observers, though 
not so many as M. Verneau, and have arranged them under the three following heads : — 
A. External Dimensions; B. Dimensions of the Cavity; C. Dimensions of the Individual 
Bones. The measurements are recorded in millimetres. All the dimensions of the non- 
European pelves and of the Laplanders have been taken on macerated and dried specimens, 
the majority of which were articulated under my direction l)y my museum assistant, 
Mr. James Simpson. Into each sacro-iliac joint a thin piece of wash-leather was 
introduced to represent the substance of the sacro-iliac cartilages, and the pubic 
symphysis was filled in by folds of leather approximating in thickness to the corre- 
sponding cartilage.^ 
A. External Dimensions of Pelvis. 
1. Breadth of pelvis is the greatest diameter between the outer lips of the iliac 
crests. 
2. Height of pelvis, i.e., height of innominate bone, or ischio-iliac diameter, 
is from the summit of the iliac crest to the most depending part of the tuber 
ischii. 
3. Breadth-height index is the relation of the maximum breadth and height of the 
, . 1,1 1 • 1 1 1 f. 19 height X 100- 
entire pelvis to each other, and is computed by the lormula — breadth — 
4. Breadth between anterior superior iliac spines is, as is customary with obstetricians, 
the greatest breadth between the outer lips of these spines. 
5. Breadth between posterior superior iliac spines. The postero-superior spine varies 
in arrangement in different pelves. Sometimes it is fused with the roughened posterior 
part of the crest, which gives attachment to the gluteus maximus, and forms the free 
posterior end of that surface ; in others this spine is separated from that surface by a 
depression, and forms a distinct tubercle to its inner and posterior part. The callipers 
are placed in either case on the spine close to its inner border. 
6. Breadth between ischial tubera is the greatest distance between their outer 
borders. 
7. Breadth between ischial spines is between their tips, but as these were fret][uently 
broken this measurement could only sometimes be made. 
8. Greatest diameter of cotyloid is between opposite points of the margin of this 
cavity. As a rule there is not more than from 1 to 2 mm. difi"erence between the 
1 It is possible that in a few specimens the transverse diameter may have been increased a little beyond the 
normal by the interposed leather being somewhat thicker than the natural cartilage. 
2 In calculating this and the other indices, when the fraction was below 0'5 I have not taken it into account. When 
0'5 or above 0'5 I have either stated it or given the benefit of the fraction to the preceding whole number. 
