CH A P T E R VI
ON PROFESSOR SERGI’S SYSTEM AND TH E RESULTS OBTAINED
FROM IT
I n pursuance of our scheme to utilize every available means at our disposal for the
elucidation of the problems arising out of the present research, it was natural that we
should have recourse to the methods recently devised by the distinguished Italian
anthropologist, Professor G. Sergi. To him we must express our unqualified thanks
for the kind assistance he has rendered, and the help which has enabled us to classify
according to his own views the skulls of which we possess photographs. The refinements
of some of his classifications are such that it would have been impossible for us to have
grouped the specimens, as has been done, without running the risk of, in some instances
at least, falling into error. It is only fair to Professor Sergi, however, to point out
that as he had only the photographs of the skulls at his disposal he was labouring
under a disadvantage. He requested us to rectify any errors that might under these
conditions have occurred, but we considered it in every respect more satisfactory to
leave the classification just as it came from his hand.
For the benefit of those readers who are not familiar with the views of the Italian Principles of
anthropologist, it may be well to state that the chief principle involved is the substitution c la s s iS o n
of terms descriptive of actual shape for the accepted indices of cranial form. He takes of craxxia-
up the attitude that the shapes of the skull, as viewed from the norma verticalis, are
‘ persistent alike in geographical distribution and in the order of time, and are therefore
reliable elements for classification1, an attitude which is based upon his assumption that
the ‘ interior’ characteristics of man, by which he means the skeletal parts, are ‘ not
affected by the external influences of habitat, climate, or nourishment2 ’ ; a view, it must
be remarked, which seems inconsistent with recognized biological laws.
It is undoubtedly true that heredity is an influence of great potency, and in this
respect considerable support is given to Professor Sergi’s views, but we cannot accept
his reiterated assertion of the unalterable character of all his types as demonstrated even
by the evidence of such cases as he has adduced.
In the application of his system to our present inquiry we are confronted with Difficulty of
this difficulty, viz. that up to the present Professor Sergi has confined his researches to systeS^he
what he terms the Eurafrican and the Eurasian ‘ species,’ groups to which he assigns the Present case-
following characteristics. The Eurafrican species is distinguished by Ellipsoidal, Ovoidal,
and Pentagonoidal shapes (with a few secondary forms); the Eurasian by Spheroidal,
Sphenoidal, and Platycephalic (with a corresponding series of sub-forms3). As yet,
however, he has not extended the application of his own particular method to the study
of Negroid races. We are, therefore, at a loss to utilize his method for the purposes
of our present inquiry, since the Negroid influence is precisely one of the factors,
the presence or absence of which it is necessary to determine. A moment’s consideration
1 Specie e varieth umane, p. 5 1 . a Ibid., p. 168.
• A m e I/ a lic i, pp. 179, 183, &c. T o each o f these groups o f skull forms, it should be remarked in passing,
he attributes definite corresponding forms o f face.
I 2