Academy of Sciences] 

 No. 3] 



OBSERVATIONAL DATA 



11 



the fat within the orbits, but partly also, it would seem, to some further supraorbital or frontal 

 development during the latter half or more of the adult period. 



It is interesting to add that while the use of glasses, for reading at least, was general among 

 the academicians, there was no case in those examined of a serious eye abnormality or defect; 

 and that no blindness exists either now or has existed within the memory of those consulted 

 in any member. Yet all have used their eyes intensively and doubtless in many instances 

 to excess. The explanation is probably good, strong eyes to start with and their further 

 strengthening through exertion. 



Ears 



With the ears the conditions in the examined were almost equally favorable ; a large majority 

 had no defect of hearing at all, and only 1 of the 150 was deaf enough to be obliged to use a 

 mechanical aid. Nor is there any information of any deaf member, though some in old age 

 became hard of hearing. 



Malar Regions 



The "cheekbones" in the members of the Academy were found in no case bulky or prom- 

 inent, but were often perceptibly to decidedly reduced. The generalized reduction of these 

 parts constitutes one of the most obvious changes in modern man under the agencies of civili- 

 zation. More directly it is the result of the diminished facial stresses due to lesser use of the 

 masticatory organs, brought about under higher civilization by changes in the quality of food 

 and in the needed quantities of the same. The records show as follows: 



Table 12. — Development of the malar regions 



Here for the first tune, the members of the Academy, especially the old American members, 

 present really noteworthy difference from the outsiders. In the old American academicians 

 and to but a moderately lesser extent in the members of European birth or more recent American, 

 derivation, the malar regions showed on the whole considerably more reduction than they did 

 in the old American population at large. The explanation of this can only lie in less work of 

 the masticatory apparatus during the growth period. 



Depression at the Nasal Root 



This is a relatively simple morphological and physiognomic feature. Detailed records on 

 its status show some differences in our three groups, but these are hardly large enough to be 

 beyond the possible errors or chance aggregations; yet there may be some racial significance, 

 for the main exceptional items occur in the not old American group of the academicians. 



