374 POPULAE SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



may be noted, however, that the group for which we have definite 

 figures harmonizes fairly with the group for which we have no definite 

 figures, and that both alike show that the number of medium-sized 

 persons is vastly below what we ought to expect. Moreover, the group 

 with definitely ascertained heights shows very wide range of variation. 

 When we note that among some 850 men there are 14 who are definitely 

 known to have been over 6 feet in height, and many others who are 

 known to have been 'gigantic' or 'colossal,' we may be fairly certain 

 that more definite knowledge would only show more clearly that the 

 relations that rule here are not exactly the same as those that rule 

 among the general population, and that men of intellectual ability 

 show in this respect a greater tendency to variation than is observed 

 among the general population.* 



It is interesting to note that although among the general popula- 

 tion the well-to-do classes are decidedly taller than the lower social 

 classes, no such tendency is clearly marked in our groups. Confining 

 ourselves to the group with definitely known height, we find that none 

 belong to our 'good family' class, while two belong to our lowest social 

 class, springing from unskilled workers. The extremely small persons 

 belong to the middle or lower middle social classes. This seems to 

 indicate that height is here not a mere social phenomenon, but a real 

 expression of the organic vitality and nervous make of the man. 



It would be of much interest if we could speak definitely concern- 

 ing the most important of all anthropological criteria, the cephalic 

 index or length-breadth index of the head. The 'Dictionary' here, 

 however, is of no assistance. We are told, indeed, of Faraday (the 

 writer of the article being Tyndall) that he had an abnormally long 

 head, so that his hats had to be specially made for him, and we are 

 told of Tyndall himself (the writer here being his widow) that in this 

 respect Tyndall resembled Faraday. This scrap of evidence, so far as 

 it goes, would confirm the proverbial belief in favor of the intelligence 

 of long-headed persons. It is, however, believed by many, who can 

 bring forward good evidence on their side, that intellectual ability 

 goes with broad-headedness. It may well be that in this matter, as in 

 that of stature, the range of variation is great, and that both extremes 

 tend to prevail to an undue extent. This has been found to be the 

 case in another abnormal group — that of criminals. 



If we turn to a further anthropological character, pigmentation, 

 or the color of the hair and eyes, we are able to bring forward a much 

 larger body of evidence, and it is not difficult to supplement the data 



* This conclusion harmonizes with an inquiry into this matter, and into its 

 significance — not, however, confined to persons of British race — which I pub- 

 lished elsewhere a few years ago ('Genius and Stature,' 'Nineteenth Century,' 

 July, 1897). 



