REPORT ON THE HUMAN CRANIA. 
7 
including the dentary arcade along with the hard palate. 1 He makes the length of the 
palate to extend from the alveolar point to a line drawn across the hinder borders of the 
maxillary bones, and its width between the outer borders of the alveolar arch immediately 
above the middle of the second molar tooth. Instead, however, of using the terms 
maxillary length, width, and index, which Professor Flower employs, I prefer to call these 
measurements palato-maxillary 2 or palato-alveolar, as expressing more precisely their 
nature. As considerable differences exist in the relative length and breadth of the 
palato-maxillaries in different individuals, it is advisable to have descriptive terms to 
express the different value of the palato-maxillary index. To follow the rule pursued by 
craniologists, terms compounded of Greek words should be employed. As ovpavos 
signifies the vault or roof of the mouth, the term Dolichuranic would indicate a palato- 
alveolar region where the length is to the breadth proportionally great, so that the roof 
of the mouth is elongated, and Brachyuranic would express the opposite condition, 
in which the roof of the mouth approaches more to the semi-circular in form ; whilst 
Mesuranic would of course indicate a region intermediate in its proportions. The Latin 
terms longi-palatal, brevi-palatal, and medio-palatal would be equally appropriate. The 
following classification, based on differences in the palato-alveolar region, has been intro- 
duced into the Report : — Dolichuranic, index below 110; Mesuranic, between 110 and 
115; Brachyuranic above 115. 
The measurements of the lower jaw scarcely require any explanation, but I may state 
that the breadth of the ascending ramus is its antero-posterior diameter on a line with 
the alveolar border. 
In determining the age of a skull, I have relied on the condition of the sutures and 
on the dentition. When the sutures of the cranial vault were ossified, both in the inner 
and outer tables, and when the teeth were either much worn down or shed, and the 
sockets absorbed, the skull is then said to be “ aged.” When the teeth were all erupted, 
except perhaps one or two of the wisdoms, and either slightly or moderately worn, and 
the sutures either unossified or only partially obliterated, the skull is called “ adult.” The 
age of the skull in childhood and youth has been arrived at by observation of the state 
of the milk and permanent dentition. 
In determining the sex I have relied, in the comparison of the skulls of each race, on 
the greater size, weight and capacity, on the projection of the glabella, supraciliary ridges, 
mastoid processes, inion, and superior curved occipital line, and on a more backward slope 
of the frontal region as characteristic of male skulls. Whilst a more feeble development 
of the ridges and projections which mark the position of air-sinuses and attachment of 
muscles ; smaller size and capacity ; a fuller occipital squama as compared with the inion 
1 Cranial characters of natives of Fiji Islands, Journ. of Anthrop. List., Nov. 1880. 
2 See abstract of my communication on the Crania of the Admiralty Islanders, Trans. International Medical 
Congress, vol. i. p. 146, 1881, and in Journ. Anat. and Phys., vol. xvi. p. 135. 
