416 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Anthropometry . — The Anthropometric Committee of the British Associa- 
tion appointed for the purpose of making a systematic investigation of the 
heights, weights, and other dimensions of the human inhabitants of the 
empire, laid their report before tbe Association at the last meeting. They 
stated that considerable progress had been made in carrying out the objects 
of the Committee during the past year, returns having been obtained giving 
the birth-place, origin, and sex, age, height, weight, colour of hair and eyes 
girth of chest, and strength of arm and eye-sight, of a great number of 
persons, including pupils at Westminster and other schools, London police- 
men and letter-sorters, rifle volunteers, soldiers, and criminals. The Com- 
mittee had thus procured nearly 12,000 original observations on the question 
of height and weight in relation to age, in addition to 50,000 previously 
collected. From tables embodying the results of these inquiries, it appeared 
that the London letter-sorters were the lowest in height, the average between 
the ages of 20 and 35 being 64-67T inches. They were also the lowest in 
point of weight, being only from 122*5 to 139*9 lbs. The metropolitan 
police stood at the head of both lists, height 69-2-71 *5 inches, and weight 
162-5-182-7 lbs. From other tables it appeared that the average of weight 
and height varies with the social position and occupations of the people, so 
that to arrive at the typical proportions of the British race, it would be 
necessary to measure a proportionate number of individuals of each class. 
Taking the census of 1871 as a standard, a model community should con- 
sist of 14*82 per cent, of the non-labouring class, 47*46 per cent, of the labour- 
ing class, and 37*72 per cent, of the artizan and operative classes. The 
nearest approach to such a representative population will be found in some 
of the larger county towns, such as York, Derby, and Exeter. In the pro- 
fessional class the full stature is attained at 21 years, and in the artizan class 
between 25 and 30 years. According to some American statistics a slight 
increase in height takes place up to the 35th year. The growth in weight 
does not cease with that of the stature, but continues slowly in both classes 
up to about the 30th year. Similar investigations which have been made 
in other countries have led so far to coincident results that it is hoped that, 
in course of time, information of great value will be elicited. — ( Nature , 
18 Sept. 1879.) 
Date of the Neolithic Aye. In a paper read before the Biological Section of 
the British Association, Mr. S. B. J. Skertchly propounded a new estimate 
of the date of the Neolithic Age, based upon calculations made in the Fen- 
lands, occupying an area of 1,300 square miles, around tbe great bay of the 
Wash. The surface of the inland portions of this area consists of peat, and 
that of the seaward parts of marine silt. This silt is still in progress of de- 
position, and, from the time of the Roman occupation at least, banks have 
been successively erected to reclaim the newly-formed ground ; and, as the 
dates of these banks are known, very accurate estimates can be formed of the 
rate at which the deposition is going on in different parts. The maximum 
rate is, according to Mr. Skertchly, fifty-nine feet per annum ; and four miles 
of new land have been formed since the oldest banks were erected. These 
banks are generally ascribed to the Romans, but the author considers that 
they are probably British. In forming his estimate, he has, however, taken 
them as Roman, in order that their age may not be over-estimated, and the 
