The lateral angles of the symphysis are consequently more
rounded than the latter.
The coronal bone of a New Zealander, is less bulging,than
that of an European. The external orbitary arigbs%are much
thicker, and the crooked line which separates- therm is also
more projecting. The summit of the head is prolonged a
little in the shape of a sugar-loaf, as in that of the Alfourous.
The bridge of the nose has no peculiarity: the anterior part
of the body of the lower jaw, is placed very muchxas in the
European, from which it only slightly differs in the rounding
of the angles, and in the slight bend of the basis. The
alveolar arches are a little more developed; the facial angle
does not differ much from that of the European, and the external
occipital protuberance alone is more strongly marked.
Lastly, the bones of the cranium of the New Zealander, are
remarkable for their great thickness.
From these remarks and the approximation which appears ,
to be manifested by them between the skuffs. of the several
races described* it would almost'appear that we may revert to
the opinion of Blumenbach, who represents all the -tribes of
the great southern ocean as constituting one distinct variety
of the human species. I t seems that a general analogy
really exists between the form of the cranium belonging to
the Papuas, or woolly-haired nations, the Alfourous or Australians,
and the Oceanic tribes, of whom the New Zealanders
are a specimen, and that all these tribes partake in different
degrees of the peculiar form of the Mosambique Neigro.
Tribes of people connected with the Alfourous, constitute, a
considerable part of the indigenous population of the . Indian
archipelago. They inhabit not only New Guinea and the
Moluccas, but also as we shall hereafter show of the Philippines
; and it is probable that the interior of Borneo, and
of other large islands, is occupied by tribes allied to the
same race, By identifying this race with the Australians,
Mi Lesson has attempted at least to make one considerable
step towards the elucidation o f the history of this region and
its inhabitants. The near relation of these races is at any
rate very probable. In a future part of this work a .more
proper pla®elwiljl|f0e$ir for-displaying this and other subjects
relatinglwfethhë^^^hy bf the Austral countries. * At present
I shall conhn'e'myg^iféS ^omfe-fulther observations on-skulls.
I démdt.beLiêvè'thatanySie<rama".exist in European collect’
tionsihelongih^lto;-the.genuine Papuas-offNew- Guinea. The
iT^sihariians \qi& inhabi-^tótsA of‘Wan i Dieman’s Land, may
however- hé^obnsidered ms anï ojtfs^tl^fH'felüs^sto'ck'i' The description
of their physicaf »‘-character ‘is^ultei^oóhsigtënt with
this‘.opinioh.r. M. AnderS<%y-»ivho'^C!l>mpani^|Gaptain Cook,-
hasA, given? the; foMowing^ahëpmit, of the- nativesiof Van Die-
maiifs Land.;,,1
' “ Their ^ |o u r,” he i n f o r m a dull1 black, ^ and* t not
quite^e^Öe^ as that of it he AfricaniNfegrde'sS Their hair, is
perfectlyi-Wipiilly.* , TheirJ-dëseïs ,- though - nw h at are- broad and
.fullu,.. The lower part yof the face-' projfdC.l^a gold-deal;' as;Ss
the «ase^öf most Indians I ha^^séhsjs so that a Bn^t||fefalL
from the?>forehead would cut off- a much#larger%p©M'©n than
it wiëuld in an European. Their eyes are of a mid d-lingisiye,'
with the white less idea» than in us.< ffhéif ^eethiprej^broad,
bidt not equal nor well- set:- Their mouths-varerirathfer wide';
but /.this .api^eaT'ancevse'eöraheightened by.wearingffheir beards
long? and.clotted with.-paint, in the? same-manner th e ' hair
|kn their headsi” .!
Of this race, which is becoming £asèi:|extincf$'f we - have
teqipmliportraits by La Billardière, and M. Péren. I have'
annexed the drawing o f" a Tasmanim skull, which is in
the museum-óf the College- of -Surgeons; .; It ^exemplifies
the characters- ascribed above- to the P a p u a a n d approximates
more to the «Negro, as might be5 expected, than
the skulls belonging to the mixed breed of Papluis, described.,
by M. Lesson, and by M. M. Quoy and Gaimard, in the
zoological department of the great- work,o§M: de FreycinCt.
* Captain Cook, as we are told by the writer -of his work, on the authority of
Captain King, was very unwilling to allow the last-mentioned fact, “ fancying
that the people who first observed it, had, been deceived from the hair being dotted
with grease and red ochre. But Captain King prevailed on him to examine carefully
the hair of the boys,which was free fromi this dirt.’- , He thus became convinced
that it was naturally woolly, and assures us himself that it was as much so
as that of the natives of Guinea.