176 GRADUAL DIMINUTION OF THE HUMAN HEAD. 
have to make a block purposely. The diminution in size has- 
been attributed by some to the prevailing fashion of wearing the 
hair short ; but as heads certainly average two sizes less than 
they did, and as the difference between long and short hair 
cannot amount to a quarter of an inch in length and the same 
in width, this solution of the matter is inadmissible.” Dr. Beddoe 
produced evidence, collected for him by Mr. Garlich, hatter, of 
Castle Street, which very nearly agreed, as to the extent of the 
reduction, with that given by Mr. Tuckett. While in Scotland 
last summer. Dr. B. inquired of Mr. Kirsop, the principal hatter 
in Glasgow, what his experience was, and he fully corroborated 
what had been stated, so that the diminution appeared not to be 
confined to the southern portion of the islands. Several ex- 
planations had been brought forward, but none were entirely 
satisfactory. The most plausible of these rested on the different 
manner of wearing the hat, which was formerly drawn somewhat 
further down on the back of the head. Those which were based 
on supposed changes in the classes of people wearing hats did 
not appear to Dr. Beddoe to be of any value — the lower classes, 
who had the smallest heads, wore fewer stiff hats now than 
formerly. There was a good deal of evidence, much of it 
collected by himself, pointing to a certain degree of physical 
degeneration in the population of large towns ; and he thought 
it possible that heads as well as bodies might have dwindled 
somewhat ; but the fact, if it were one, was not capable of proof. 
