HEADS IN PROFILE 383 
of the brain is a matter worth our attention. When the 
anthropoid skull is examined in true profile it will be 
seen (figs. 136 and 1 37, A) that the temporal line is situated 
in front of the anterior limit or frontal pole of the brain. 
In the Gibraltar skull this line descends behind the frontal 
pole, but only 8 mm. Q inch) behind it. In modern 
English skulls this is also the case, but the temporal line 
is still further back, from ^ to ^ oi an inch (fig. 137). 
Now in the Piltdown skull — even supposing the forehead 
is curtailed and made vertical — the temporal lines are at 
least 15 mm. (f inch) behind the frontal poles. The 
relationship of the temporal lines to the frontal poles of 
the brain is thus the opposite of simian ; the line is 
further back than in the average modern skull. Indeed, 
a glance at the various figures just given (figs. 137 and 
138) will show that the frontal part of the temporal lines 
in the Piltdown skull are more vertical— have a different 
contour — to any hitherto seen in a human or anthropoid 
skull. In all human skulls, ancient and modern, the 
external angular process bends backwards and downwards 
as it joins the malar or cheek bone. In the Piltdown 
skull the terminal backward bend is almost absent ; it 
ends abruptly, pointing outwards. 
I know that I am trying the patience of my readers 
when I labour these points. My excuse is that this 
fragmentary skull is the only document from which — at 
the present time — we can learn anything of a race of 
mankind which is removed from us by twenty thousand 
or thirty thousand generations of human lives. We have 
to interpret that document, to see how far our modern 
methods of interpretation will give us a glimpse of the 
mental status of man at such a remote period. We are 
making some headway, and it is clear that a region of the 
head which lies so close to the brain centres of speech is 
one which we must explore to its full value. I propose, 
therefore, we should view this region, not only as seen 
with the head in profile, but also from above. In fig. 
139 a horizontal section has exposed the anterior part of 
the floor of the skull of a chimpanzee, that part on which 
