DESCRIPTIONS OP OEANIA.
in the perfect cranium of our plate, in the other it is more lofty. The bases of both skulls are
rugged; the mastoids of good size; the foramina magna large and of regular oval form. In
a vertical view, the perfect skull is seen to form a long outline, tolerably oval; the other, being
more elevated at the vertex, is somewhat shorter, and describes an oval more round—all this being
manifested by the measurements, which exhibit a difference of -4 of an inch in antero-posterior
diameter. In reference to the question of dolichocephalic and hrachycephalio skulls, the specimen
of our lithograph, though not remarkably long, is somewhat dolichocephalic; and the other,
though not remarkably short, is somewhat so—yet, it must be recollected, we know both are
derived from one timiulus, both belonged without question to one people, and both were interred
at a very remote period of time*.
There cannot be said to be any very remarkable peculiarities ia these skuUs of the
primeval Gaelic or Irish race, unless we refer to the slight ones pointed out by Dr. Prichaxd.
At the same time the reader will at once recognize in them those features so often dwelt upon in
this work, which characterize the crania of the ancient Britons. Indeed to these crania we
consider they present a striking resemblance. They are tolerably full capacious skvdls, and when
gauged, as seen in the Table below, are of moderate capacity. As to their similarity to, or deviation
from the ancient crania discovered in the barrows of Denmark and Sweden, we are disposed
to consider these latter have not yet been studied with so critical and discriminating an eye as
to enable us to speak with any confldencet-
In the following Table the first column of figures, A, refers to the perfect skull, that
lithographed; the second, B, to the other, wanting its lower jaw.
MEASUREMENTS.
A B
Horizontal circumference 21-0 20-1
Longitudinal diameter 7-4. 7-0
Frontal Region.—Length 5-1 5-0
Breadth 4-6 4-5
Height 4-7 4-6
Parietal Region.—Length 5-0 5-0
Breadth 5-4 5-4
Height 4-8 4-8
Occipital Region.- -Length
Breadth
Height
Intermastoid arch
Internal capacity
Pace.—Length .
Breadth .
Length of a femur
A B
4-6 4-5 in.
4-4 4-5 „
4-3 3-9 „
14-8 14.'7 „
75-5 74-0 oz,
5-1
5-4 5-4 in.
18-3 in.
* Dr. Prichard expresses his opinion of these skulls in the
following words :—" Especially in one of them, there is a considerable
approximation to the form of the Turanian skull;
the face has somewhat of a lozenge-form, a pyramidal elevation,
with laterally eminent zygomata." (Researches, 1841,
vol. iii. p. 200.) It is the skull without lower jaw here alluded
to, but the front and back -riews of that lithographed, placed at
the head of this description, exhibit the features referred to by
Dr. Prichard. The lozenge-form of the face it is very difficult
to perceive, but we must acknowledge in both crania the
slight projection of the zygomata, and the elevation in the region
of the sagittal suture, also trivial.
t No sufficiently accurate and rehable figures of these skulls
are at present knowu to us. We beheve none, save reduced
ones, have ever been published. This is much to be regretted.
(J. B. D.)