THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEANDERTHALOID AUSTRA-

Description of a Neanderthaloid Australian Skull
The chin is moderately well marked (fig. 1) and the genioid spines present
a considerable degree of prominence. The alveolar chin angle (Klaatsch)
between the line of the alveolar border and the tangent from the mental
protuberance to the anterior point between the incisors is 880. This angle in
our opinion does not give a conception of the degree of prognathism of the
alveolar process of the mandible, for on inspection from behind, this process
is seen to slope definitely forwards and upwards, corresponding with the
alveolar prognathism of the maxilla already described. Except in a case such
as No. 2165 (Medical School Museum) in which the chin is ill-defined and nonprojecting,
the development of the mental process obscures this forward
slope when the mandible is viewed from the front and makes the alveolar
chin angle approximate to 900. We have therefore measured the angle included
between the alveolar line and the line from the anterior point between
the incisors to the lowest median point on the lower border of the body of
the mandible in the mid-line (gnathion). The resulting angle in No. 792 is 760,
an angle which indicates more accurately than the " alveolar angle " the degree
of alveolar prognathism.
In R. 2, in which the two lines used by Klaatsch are at right angles, we
find the alveolo-symphysial angle to be 810. This indicates the degree of forward
slope of the alveolar process which is apparent on inspection. Examination
of other Roth specimens confirmed this result. A consideration of the alveolosymphysial
angle together with the angle of alveolar prognathism of the
maxilla, gives a true indication of the degree of " snoutiness " of the Australian
aboriginal skull. It is specially worthy of note that the muzzle-like condition
of the face may be present in an orthognathic skull such as No. 792 (cf. Topinard
(19)).
II. THE CRANIAL SKELETON
(a) The Temporal and Sphenoidal Region. The mastoid process is better
developed in No. 792 than is usually the case in the aboriginal skull. The left
process is somewhat more projecting but at a higher level than the right, the
latter feature is part of a general asymmetry. The mastoid crest is continuous
with the linea nuchae superior; though the latter is extremely well marked,
the bridge uniting the mastoid process with it is not nearly so pronounced as
in R. 60, especially referred to by Klaatsch. On this account the supramastoid
crest is only moderately developed and an interval of 22 mm. separates
it from the mastoid crest, again being unlike R. 60, in which the distance is
only 10 mm.
In the region of the lambdoid suture is a rounded but well defined ridge,
extending upwards and backwards for a distance of 21 mm. (fig. 6). Superiorly
this ridge can clearly be traced into continuity with the superior temporal
line, while inferiorly it blends with the crista mastoidea and passes towards
the anterior border of the mastoid process. This then must be regarded as the
actual termination of the superior temporal line in No. 792. Diverging from
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