ANCIENT SKULL FOUND.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 377, 12 July 1911, Page 5

ANCIENT SKULL FOUND.

To The Editor. Sir,—l noticed in your paper of July Ist, a brief report relating to a human skull found by Mr W. Johnston on his property at Waitomo. Having made a minute examination of this skull, I wish to correct a few slight errors in the before-mentioned report. On either side of the lower jaw there are two double teeth; the jaw is then spaced similar to that of a horse, for a distance of three teeth. After this- space comes the front teeth, and these, instead of being sharp as an ordinary human being's, are worn quite smooth and round. The teeth, in both upper and lower jaws, have grown "across" the jaw instead of along it, not, as your report has it "apparently grown inwaru." In the upper jaw the first two back teeth are fairly small; next to these there are three arge teeth, which exactly fit into the spaces in the lower jaw. Altogether, the skull is a most interesting and unique SDecimen, and from these and other remarkable features, would lead one to believe that it belonged neither to our day nor generation. The writer 'was also shown some fine specimens of moa bones found in the same cave. Trusting that you will find room to insert this in your paper.—l am, etc., NATURAL HISTORY. Waitomo, July 10th.