Anthropological notes on New Guinea / by Dr. Comrie.

  • Comrie, Peter.
Date:
[1876]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Anthropological notes on New Guinea / by Dr. Comrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    With one exception, Gr, they all maybe classed as dolichocephalic, while Gr may more probably be called sub-brachycephalic ; the mean index for the whole number being 74, thus bringing them within the limits of well-marked dolichocephalicism, or long- headed skulls, and although considerable individual variation is shown, still the aberrant tendency is no stronger here than as evinced in other collections, such as those of V. Baer, B. Davis, Meyer, &c. Altitudinal.—As regards this index, they all come under the head of what Broca calls megasemic, giving a mean of 78, and thus showing a strong affinity to the negro type. There is also here one exception, P, but which, owing to the base being broken, the measurement of the height was only approxi- mate, and in this way does not count for much. Nasal index.— There is here a considerable variation not bearing out Broca’s views, seven only being platyrrhine, five mesorrhine, and the remainder leptorrhine. Capacity.—This ranges in amount from 64 cubic inches up to 83, giving a mean of 75. Progna- iliism.—This also varies, but in the majority is pretty strongly pronounced. Peculiarities.—In A, synostosis of the sagittal suture has taken place, and has given rise to a scaphocephalic deformity. Wormian bones occur in the lambdoidal sutures of E, F, and Gr. The occipital protuberance is strongly developed in C and O, while the parietal is equally so in D. The denti- culation of the sutures generally are more complex than usually •occurs in savage races. Generally the result of the measure- ments would show the strong affinity of the Papuan to the Negro, ;and not at all favouring the idea of an intermixture with the Polynesian element. Since examining my own collection I have compared the measurements with those of Dr. Meyer, as given in the catalogue of the Dresden Museum (as far as the true Papuan crania are concerned), of which he gives twenty-three -collected in Greelwink Bay, the mean latitudinal index being 72, while of ten in the College of Surgeons the mean is 74. The general type of skull is that of an extended, but narrow and com- pressed form, forehead small and low, occiput flattened, and zygomatic space not extensive. The top in all is ridge-like, a well-marked saggital crest being perceptible. The temporal lines are well defined, and the superciliary ridges strongly developed. The upper teeth project over lower, but are not ground down, and are strong and in a good state of preserva- tion. The height of the skull in all exceeds the breadth. The nasal bones are short and depressed, the anterior nasal openings wide. Stature.—As the result of about twenty measurements of indi- viduals, all male, I found the height to average about 5 feet If inch, the extremes being 4 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 4 inches.
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