446 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
length and narrowness are an absence of parietal eminences, a com- 
plete obliteration of the sagittal suture, a keel or ridge along the 
sagittal line, and such a complete blending of the two parietal 
bones, that it must be pronounced to be a typical specimen of the 
scaphocepbalic skull. Hence it cannot be regarded as expressing 
the normal form of bead of the ancient Egyptian, but simply as 
an individual peculiarity due to premature closure of the sagittal 
suture, and possessing no ethnological value. For skulls of this 
form may apparently occur in any race, and in any clime, as well in 
the old Egyptian as in the Scotchman of the present day.* 
As minor characters in this cranium, may be noticed, that the 
lateral, longitudinal, and vertical transverse lines of sutures are 
marked externally, but probably obliterated internally. The fore- 
head is rounded and projecting in the region of the frontal emi- 
nences, but behind these tubera the frontal bone has a roof-like 
form. The biparietal bone has no beak jutting forward into the 
frontal, and there are indications of the former presence of parietal 
foramina. A narrow beak runs forw^ard from the superior angle of 
the occipital bone into the biparietal bone. The facial bones are 
broken away, and the cavity of the skull is full of a black bitumi- 
nous-like material. The skull is apparently that of a person past 
the middle period of life, but whether male or female is somewhat 
uncertain, though it is probably the latter. 
The following are some of the principal measurements, expressed 
in inches and tenths - 
Extreme length, 8T ; breadth, 4'8 ; height, 5’3. 
G-reatest frontal breadth, 3'9 ; parietal, 4“3; occipital, 3'6. 
Frontal radius, 4-8 ; parietal, 4*7 ; occipital, 4’3. 
Frontal arc, 5’4 ; parietal, 6*2; occipital, 4-9; longitudinal, 
16-5. 
® Upwards of forty cases of scaphocephalism have now been recorded by the 
following anatomists : — Sandifort, Blumenbach, and Von Baer, each one ; 
Virchow and Lucae, each two ; Minchin, three ; Welcker, four ; Von Diiben, 
seven ; Thurnam, nine, and the author, including the two cases described in 
the text, eleven ; and they have been found in English, Scotch, Irish, French, 
German, Danish, Swedish, Croatian, Illyrian, Tartar, Gentoo, Esquimaux, 
Ancient Egyptian, Negro, and Australian heads. 
