第 4 节
作者:痛罚      更新:2021-04-30 16:09      字数:9322
  right side; and the same part of a rib of the left side; the hinder
  part of a rib of the right side; and lastly; two hinder portions and one
  middle portion of ribs; which from their unusually rounded shape; and
  abrupt curvature; more resemble the ribs of a carnivorous animal than
  those of a man。  Dr。 H。 v。 Meyer; however; to whose judgment I defer;
  will not venture to declare them to be ribs of any animal; and it only
  remains to suppose that this abnormal condition has arisen from an
  unusually powerful development of the thoracic muscles。
  〃The bones adhere strongly to the tongue; although; as proved by the use
  of hydrochloric acid; the greater part of the cartilage is still
  retained in them; which appears; however; to have undergone that
  transformation into gelatine which has been observed by v。 Bibra in
  fossil bones。  The surface of all the bones is in many spots covered
  with minute black specks; which; more especially under a lens; are seen
  to be formed of very delicate 'dendrites'。  These deposits; which were
  first observed on the bones by Dr。 Meyer; are most distinct on the
  inner surface of the cranial bones。  They consist of a ferruginous
  compound; and; from their black colour; may be supposed to contain
  manganese。  Similar dendritic formations also occur; not unfrequently;
  on laminated rocks; and are usually found in minute fissures and cracks。
  At the meeting of the Lower Rhine Society at Bonn; on the 1st April;
  1857; Prof。 Meyer stated that he had noticed in the museum of
  Poppelsdorf similar dendritic crystallizations on several fossil bones
  of animals; and particularly on those of 'Ursus spelaeus'; but still
  more abundantly and beautifully displayed on the fossil bones and teeth
  of 'Equus adamiticus'; 'Elephas primigenius'; etc。; from the caves of
  Bolve and Sundwig。  Faint indications of similar 'dendrites' were
  visible in a Roman skull from Siegburg; whilst other ancient skulls;
  which had lain for centuries in the earth; presented no trace of them。*
  'footnote' *'Verh。 des Naturhist'。 Vereins in Bonn; xiv。
  1857。  I am indebted to H。 v。 Meyer for the following
  remarks on this subject:
  'The incipient formation of dendritic deposits; which were formerly
  regarded as a sign of a truly fossil condition; is interesting。  It has
  even been supposed that in diluvial deposits the presence of
  'dendrites' might be regarded as affording a certain mark of distinction
  between bones mixed with the diluvium at a somewhat later period and
  the true diluvial relics; to which alone it was supposed that these
  deposits were confined。  But I have long been convinced that neither
  can the absence of 'dendrites' be regarded as indicative of recent age;
  nor their presence as sufficient to establish the great antiquity of
  the objects upon which they occur。  I have myself noticed upon paper;
  which could scarcely be more than a year old; dendritic deposits; which
  could not be distinguished from those on fossil bones。  Thus I possess a
  dog's skull from the Roman colony of the neighbouring Heddersheim;
  'Castrum Hadrianum'; which is in no way distinguishable from the fossil
  bones from the Frankish caves; it presents the same colour; and adheres
  to the tongue just as they do; so that this character also; which; at a
  former meeting of German naturalists at Bonn; gave rise to amusing
  scenes between Buckland and Schmerling; is no longer of any value。  In
  disputed cases; therefore; the condition of the bone can scarcely
  afford the means for determining with certainty whether it be fossil;
  that is to say; whether it belong to geological antiquity or to the
  historical period。'
  〃As we cannot now look upon the primitive world as representing a wholly
  different condition of things; from which no transition exists to the
  organic life of the present time; the designation of 'fossil'; as
  applied to 'a bone'; has no longer the sense it conveyed in the time of
  Cuvier。  Sufficient grounds exist for the assumption that man coexisted
  with the animals found in the 'diluvium'; and many a barbarous race
  may; before all historical time; have disappeared; together with the
  animals of the ancient world; whilst the races whose organization is
  improved have continued the genus。  The bones which form the subject of
  this paper present characters which; although not decisive as regards a
  geological epoch; are; nevertheless; such as indicate a very high
  antiquity。  It may also be remarked that; common as is the occurrence
  of diluvial animal bones in the muddy deposits of caverns; such remains
  have not hitherto been met with in the caves of the Neanderthal; and
  that the bones; which were covered by a deposit of mud not more than
  four or five feet thick; and without any protective covering of
  stalagmite; have retained the greatest part of their organic substance。
  〃These circumstances might be adduced against the probability of a
  geological antiquity。  Nor should we be justified in regarding the
  cranial conformation as perhaps representing the most savage primitive
  type of the human race; since crania exist among living savages; which;
  though not exhibiting; such a remarkable conformation of the forehead;
  which gives the skull somewhat the aspect of that of the large apes;
  still in other respects; as for instance in the greater depth of the
  temporal fossae; the crest…like; prominent temporal ridges; and a
  generally less capacious cranial cavity; exhibit an equally low stage
  of development。  There is no reason for supposing that the deep frontal
  hollow is due to any artificial flattening; such as is practised in
  various modes by barbarous nations in the Old and New World。  The skull
  is quite symmetrical; and shows no indication of counter…pressure at
  the occiput; whilst; according to Morton; in the Flat…heads of the
  Columbia; the frontal and parietal bones are always unsymmetrical。  Its
  conformation exhibits the sparing development of the anterior part of
  the head which has been so often observed in very ancient crania; and
  affords one of the most striking proofs of the influence of culture and
  civilization on the form of the human skull。〃
  In a subsequent passage; Dr。 Schaaffhausen remarks:
  〃There is no reason whatever for regarding the unusual development of
  the frontal sinuses in the remarkable skull from the Neanderthal as an
  individual or pathological deformity; it is unquestionably a typical
  race…character; and is physiologically connected with the uncommon
  thickness of the other bones of the skeleton; which exceeds by about
  one…half the usual proportions。  This expansion of the frontal sinuses;
  which are appendages of the air…passages; also indicates an unusual
  force and power of endurance in the movements of the body; as may be
  concluded from the size of all the ridges and processes for the
  attachment of the muscles or bones。  That this conclusion may be drawn
  from the existence of large frontal sinuses; and a prominence of the
  lower frontal region; is confirmed in many ways by other observations。
  By the same characters; according to Pallas; the wild horse is
  distinguished from the domesticated; and; according to Cuvier; the
  fossil cave…bear from every recent species of bear; whilst; according
  to Roulin; the pig; which has become wild in America; and regained a
  resemblance to the wild boar; is thus distinguished from the same animal
  in the domesticated state; as is the chamois from the goat; and;
  lastly; the bull…dog; which is characterised by its large bones and
  strongly…developed muscles from every other kind of dog。  The estimation
  of the facial angle; the determination of which; according to Professor
  Owen; is also difficult in the great apes; owing to the very prominent
  supra…orbital ridges; in the present case is rendered still more
  difficult from the absence both of the auditory opening and of the
  nasal spine。  But if the proper horizontal position of the skull be
  taken from the remaining portions of the orbital plates; and the
  ascending line made to touch the surface of the frontal bone behind the
  prominent supra…orbital ridges; the facial angle is not found to exceed
  56 degrees。* Unfortunately; no portions of the facial bones; whose
  conformation is so decisive as regards the form and expression of the
  head; have been preserved。  The cranial capacity; compared with the
  uncommon strength of the corporeal frame; would seem to indicate a small
  cerebral development。  The skull; as it is; holds about 31 ounces of
  millet…seed; and as; from the proportionate size of the wanting bones;
  the whole cranial cavity should have about 6 ounces more added; the
  contents; were it perfect; may be taken at 37 ounces。  Tiedemann
  assigns; as the cranial contents in the Negro; 40; 38; and 35 ounces。
  The cranium holds rather more than 36 ounces of water; which
  corresponds to a capacity of 1033。24 cubic centimetres。  Huschke
  estimates the cranial contents of a Negress at 1127 cubic centimetres;
  of an old Negro at 1146 cubic centimetres。  The capacity of the Malay
  skulls; estimated by water; equalled 36; 33 ounces; whilst in the
  diminutive Hindoos it falls to as little as 27 ounces。〃
  'footnote' *Estimating the facial angle in the way
  suggest