00 
HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
writer alludes to an autero-posterior curvature, associated with a pro)ninent 
anterior border and platycnemia, as occurring in a rachitic condition alFecting the 
tibiie. A section of such a bone in the region of the antero-posterior curvature is 
figured by the same author which certainly differs from the usual section of an 
ordinary platycnemic tibia. Busk* also states that in the platycnemisni of rickets 
the tibia is invariably more or less curved. 
While it is possible that disease may lead to a bending of the bones of the 
ordinai’y platycnemic type it is difficult to escape the belief that other causes, 
beyond those obviously pathological, must be at work, for in the tibite of the Alice 
Springs skeleton the curvature of one and of an apparently healthy bone is as 
great and of the same character as in the other in which a diseased condition is 
conspicuous. Moreover, in the few other tibite of skeletons in which I have 
observed some degree of curvature, there was no evidence of disease visible and, 
as I have already said, with one exception, the living subjects of bent shin¬ 
bones appeared perfectly healthy. On the other hand it is difficult to assign an 
ethnological value to a condition which, however common it may be in Central 
Australia, must be regarded as exceptional amongst Australians as a race. The 
whole question is one which requires further investigations based upon the 
examination of actual skeletons from Central Australia which are not easy to 
obtain. 
This bent condition of the shin-bones is well recognised by the residents in 
the interior, who not imrptly describe the natives so affected as being “boomerang¬ 
legged,” and for this the technical term proposed seems a fair equivalent. 
Dolichocephaly. 
In the majority of cases the typical long-headed or dolichocephalic character 
of Australian skulls was apparent to the eye in the living subject. 
Scaphocephaly. 
The peculiar boat shaped conformation of the cranial vault, known as Scapho¬ 
cephaly, and very frequently met with in Australia, was, in some instances, so 
marked as to be easily discernible through the integuments—particularly so in a 
few individuals in whom there was a tendency to baldness. 
* International Conyress of Pre-historic Arehseoloyy. Third Session, 1S68. 
