OT everyone is, perhaps, aware Messrs, 
that part of the stock -in- similar 
trade of every old-established enabled 
hatter is a large number of human 
charts, maps, 
plans, call 
them what 
you will, of his customers’ 
heads. These are obtained 
by means of an instrument 
called a “ brow/’ which can 
be adjusted with screws to 
any size or shape, and which, 
being accurately fitted to the 
cranium, will provide the 
necessary contour on which 
the hat is subsequently 
moulded. The majority of 
people, it is true, are content 
with ready-made hats, just 
as they are with ready-made 
boots and shoes ; but many 
prefer, and a number are 
compelled, to have their hats 
made for them. The advan- 
tage of having a block at the 
hatter’s is, of course, obvious. 
It ensures a perfect fit, at 
any time, without the neces- 
sity of a personal visit. The 
disadvantage — that it places 
the hatter in possession of 
purely personal secrets, is 
not generally considered. 
Through the kindness of 
Messrs. Lincoln and Bennett, 
Vol. xlvi.— 12. 
rro. i. 
no. 
Henry Heath, and other firms of 
world-wide reputation, we are here 
to present a number of these curious 
diagrams, including those belonging 
to some of the most celebrated 
men of our day. The study 
of them reveals at once some 
interesting facts. One is that 
the left side of the head is 
almost always larger than the 
right, due, it is said, to the 
universal practice of using 
the right hand more than 
the left. Another curious point 
is that nationality consider- 
ably affects the shape of the 
head. It would surely be 
an interesting subject for a 
biologist to explain why it is 
that the nearer the equator 
a race resides the rounder 
their heads become. No one 
needs reminding of the round, 
bullet - shaped skull of the 
negro, but the hatter will 
assure us that a Frenchman’s 
head is rounder than an 
Englishman’s, and similarly 
an Englishman’s rounder than 
a Scotsman’s. The average 
Scot’s head tapers consider- 
ably towards the front, 
narrows at the temples, and 
becomes square and promi- 
nent at the forehead. A good 
example of this is shown in 
