| OCR Text |
Show 1882.] PROF. FLOWER ON THE SKULL OF A CHIMPANZEE. 635 is formed mainly by two lines, a short anterior and a longer posterior one, which meet at an open rounded angle at the highest point, which is considerably in front of the middle of the cranium. In addition to, and probably connected with, this peculiar form ot cranium, is to be noted the absence of all trace of a fronto-panetal or coronal suture, and the partial obliteration of the sagittal suture, both of which in all other Chimpanzees examined are open long after the age to which this individual had attained. The sutures between the exoccipitals and supraoccipital are also consolidated to a great^r extent than is usual at this age; but the temporoparietal and the occipito-parietal or lambdoidal sutures are perfectly distinct. The following comparative measurements are taken from some of the principal points now usually adopted in craniometry : - Soudan West-African Chimpanzee. Chimpanzee. Basion to alveolar point 76 72 narion 66 64 ,, ophryon 73 /0 „ middle of frontal bone 84 74 ,, bregma 87 74 Lengtb of cranium (ophryo-occipital) .. 103 107 Maximum parietal width 88 89 Maximum frontal width T7 86 It will be seen from these and from the figure, that the skull is Skull of a young Chimpanzee. actually shorter than that of a slightly younger specimen from the west coast, although so greatly higher as well as wider in the frontal region. It presents in fact a true case of the deformity recognized 1 Owing to the absence of the coronal suture, the exact position of the bregma can only be guessed. |
