Siibbrachycephalic, prognathous, ju st above leptorhine.
Glabella prominent, about No. 3 of Broca’s scale. Inion scarcely
developed.
This skull is unusually broad for a Melanesian, and has a somewhat
low nasal index ; it agrees, however, very well with No. 1193
of Prof. Flower’s Catalogue * (“ The cranium of a Papuan, from one
of the islands in Torres Strait, c? ”), and its extreme prognathism
shows th a t it undoubtedly belongs to the Melanesian race. I t has
undergone considerable occipital flattening on the left side, either
from sleeping on a hard wooden pillow or some similar cause; and
this has no doubt caused the hrain-case to be abnormally broad.
The present specimen is said to be the skull of tho last chief of
the island of Nagheer, and is ornamented with two long strings of
glass heads and tassels of red calico hanging from the zygomata. I t
has its orbits filled with red clay, on which are fastened oblong bits
of mother-of-pearl for eyes ; there is an artificial nose carved in
wood and painted red, and a red hand of paint passes across the
forehead. The right upper canine, lost after death but before^the
preparation of the skull, has been replaced by a wooden tooth. The
four posterior teeth in the right lower jaw have all been lost during
life, and their alveoli have quite closed up.
2. Skull of Torres-Straits Islander. (Plates I. & I I . fig. B.)
Male[?]. Adult.
“ Native woman of Nagheer Island, Torres Straits.”—R . W. 0
Length 178 ; gl. occ. 181. Breadth 136. Height 137. Maximum
frontal breadth 1 1 2 ; minimum frontal breadth ^95.
Horizontal circumferences—preauricular 230, total 503.
Transverse arcs—frontal 283, bregmatic 300, parietal 320,
occipital 267. Longitudinal arcs—frontal 130, parietal 126,
occipital 112. Foramen magnum—length 38, width 31. Basinasal
length 103. Basialveolar length 105. Bizygomatic
breadth 129. Height of—face 86, malar 24, alveolns 16. Anri-
cnlo-orbital length 68. Nasal height 49, width 26. Maxilla
—length 61, breadth 63.
Mandible—bicondylar width 117, bigoniac width 93, symphysial
height 31, molar height 24, coronoid height 52, gonio-sym-
physial length 88. Ramus—height 64, antero-posterior
breadth 31. Bigoniac arc 197.
Indices—latitudinal 76-4, altitudinal 77-0, frontal 69-9, gnathic
101'9, nasal 53'1.
Snbdolichocephalic, hypsicephalic, mesognathous, and platyrhine.
Glabella low, about No. 1. No inion. Median line of nose very
prominent.
Similarly prepared to the last, the only differences being th at
the strings of beads from the zygomata are shorter and without
* Op. cit. p. 222.
tassels, and there is a blue crescent-shaped mark on the glabella,
inst below the supraorbital red line.
Although stated to he a “ woman of Nagheer,” there can be little
doubt, from its general appearance, th at this skull is th at of a man.
I t is a remarkably fine a n d ‘typical head_, and has therefore been
thought worthy of a figure. The peculiar roof-like shape of toe
crown is noticeable, a state of skull called “ ill-filled by Dr.
Cleland. , , t i •
“ These skulls are placed on the graves where the bodies of their
original possessors lie, and are surrounded with tools, models of
snakes, &c., which are supposed to guard the dead.
3. Cranium of Solomou Islander.
Female. Adult.
» Solomon group ; particular island unknown. —to. ^ . O. _
Length 187; gl. occ. 187. Breadth 130. h e ig h t 133 Maximum
frontal breadth 1 1 0 ; minimum frontal breadth 10 0 .
Horizontal circumferences—preauricular 243, total 5 to . Iran s-
verse arcs—frontal 276, bregmatic 294, parmtal 304, occipital
265. Longitudinal arcs—frontal 133, parietal 126, occipital
117. Foramen m ag n nm -len g th 33, breadth 28. Basinasal
length 102. Basialveolar length 102. Bizygomatic breadth
129 Height of—face 80, malar 21, alveolus 12. Auriculo-
orhital length 68. O rb it-w id th * 39, height* 34. Nasal
height 47, width 25. Maxilla—length o6, width 63.
Indices—latitudinal 69-5, altitudinal 71-1, frontal to ’9, gnathic
100-0, orbital 87'2, nasal 53-2.
Dolichocephalic, mesognathous, platyrhine ; orbit mesoseme.
Giabella low, about No. 1 of Broca’s scale. Nasal spine long,
No. 4. Occipital crest scarcely visible.
4. Cranium of MallicoUo Islander, New Hebrides.
Male. Aged. All the teeth gone and alveoli closed up
Length 170 ; gl. occ. 182. Breadth 128. Height 138. Maximum
frontal breadth 107 ; minimum frontal breadth 91.
Horizontal circumferences—preauricular 232, total 481.
Transverse a rc s -fro n ta l 276, bregmatic 301, parie a 320.
Longitudinal arcs—frontal 131, parietal 1 3 ^ occipital 104
Foramen m ag n nm -len g th 29 wtoth 2o. Basinasal length
103. Bizygomatic breadth 137. Height of malar 22. Auri-
culo-orhitto length 68. O rb it-w id th 39, height 35. Nasal
I n d S - k t i t u M altitudinal 81-2, frontal 7D1, orbital
SuhLlichoSphalic, hypsicephalic, very platyrhine ; orhit mega-
G l S X very thick and gorillafiike, approaching No. 4 of Broca’s
* Flower, Cat. Coll. Surg. i. p. xvlii.