58 
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
over Dr Rogers’s collection, I saw a broken skull of an aboriginal which 
he was good enough to give me. It was found by him about eight miles 
from Adelaide. It shows an extra molar on the left side which, though 
of full size, has not erupted. On the right side, about the level of the 
third molar, there is a supernumerary molar of diminished size, possessing 
four cusps, and projecting through the facial surface of the superior 
maxilla. 
These are not the only abnormalities of aboriginal dentition that I have 
lately observed. Several skulls show very marked examples of more or 
less complete division of the root of the first bicuspid tooth ; and one skull 
from the Northern Territory shows that this tooth on the left side had 
a complete inner or lingual root and a grooved outer or labial root, while 
the right one had two separate roots. The general fact to be noted is that 
subdivision of the roots of the bicuspids is almost invariably more marked 
in the first tooth than in the second ; but books on anatomy, with a very 
few exceptions, state the contrary. 
In connection with this subject of dentition among the lower races, 
I may refer to a skull which I recently received from New Caledonia. In 
the upper jaw the “ bicuspids ” have the characters of permanent molars as 
regards size, roots, and wearing of the enamel. They show, however, the 
bulging above the neck which is characteristic of milk molars ; and their 
true temporary nature is proved by finding the permanent molars exposed 
on trephining the jaw in the region above them. In the lower jaw the 
first bicuspids are normal ; the second have the characters of permanent 
molars as in the upper jaw, but their true temporary nature is also 
determined by the discovery of the imprisoned permanent molars after 
trephining. From extensive inquiries made I believe the conditions 
exhibited by this skull are altogether unique. I hope that Professor 
Cunningham will be able to describe these and other specimens in greater 
detail by and by. 
Speaking of teeth leads naturally to some observations on the mouth. 
Professor Cunningham, when writing to me about a specimen I had sent 
from Professor Watson, said, “ I notice in the tongue that patches of the 
mucous membrane are deeply pigmented in the lymphoid region. Is this 
common among natives ? ” This question of pigmentation also arises in 
connection with malaria. Lofton has described black patches in the tongue 
which he considers to be diagnostic of malaria. I took an opportunity of 
examining several blacks, and found that pigmentation of the tongue and 
mouth is not uncommon. One good-looking girl, “ Rosie,” the belle and 
the flirt of the tribe, showed large black patches on each side of the tongue, 
