By F. F. TUCKETT and Db. BEDDOE, F.R.S. 
M r. Tackett’s attention had first been directed to the subject 
of his communication by a remark made to him some time 
ago by Mr. Castle, hatter in St. Augustine’s Parade, to the 
effect that during the last twenty-five years the size of hats, as 
regards the dimensions of the head, had been gradually diminish- 
ing, the difference of the circumferential measurement during 
that period amounting to as much as half an inch. Other 
hatters, both in Bristol and in different parts of England, were 
requested to communicate whatever information they might 
possess on the subject; and it appeared that this experience 
agreed with Mr. Castle’s. Mr. Tuckett gave a tabulated form, 
drawn up by Mr. Castle from the hats supplied to him by 
Messrs. Lincoln & Bennet, the well-known London hatters, and 
shewing the progressive rate of diminution since 1865, from 
which it appeared that the average size of hats sold by them had 
fallen from No. in 1855 to in 1880, the average 
shrinking in size being in , or rather more than one size, which 
amounts to ^ in., the scale of measurement used by hatters 
being derived from the sum of the length and width of the head, 
divided by two, and is expressed in inches, and eighths of an inch. 
One hat manufacturer wrote : — “ Fifteen years ago the usual 
sizes of hats in England were from 6f to 7f, and even was 
not uncommon. But now, if a 7f hat was wanted, we should 
