72 OBSERVATIONS AND MEASUREMENTS ACADENY MEMBERS [Mem ^ l N xxiit 



Table 55. — Ear index 1 



Members of the Academy 



Old Americans 



Not old Americans 



Old Americans 

 at large (labora- 

 tory series) 



Subjects 



Average 



Minimum 



Maximum 



Range of variation in percentage of the average 

 a 



cv 



56. 19 



4. 14 

 7.37 



92 



±0.29 



47.3 



63.9 



29.54 

 ±0.21 

 ±0. 37 



56.66 



4.00 

 7.01 



49 

 ±0. 39 



47.2 



63.0 



27. 86 



±0. 28 



±0.48 



250 



56. 57 



44.9 



71. 5 



46. 96 



DISTRIBUTION 



47.2- 

 50 



50.1- 

 52.5 



52.6- 

 55 



55.1- 

 57 5 



57.6- 

 60 



60.1- 

 62.5 



62.6- 

 63.9 



Old Americans (92) 



Not old Americans (49) . 



Percent 

 6.5 

 4. 1 



Percent 

 6. 5 

 4 1 



Percent 

 28. 3 

 22. 5 



Percent 

 23.9 

 34.7 



Percent 

 16.3 

 14 3 



Percent 

 13. 

 16. 3 



Percent 

 5. 4 

 4. 1 



EAR INDEX AND AGE 



Members of the Academy 



Old Americans 



Not old Ameri- 

 cans 



Old Americans 

 at large (labora- 

 tory series) 



Subjects to 60 years of age, inclusive 

 Average 



Over 60 years of age 



Average 



55 

 56. 96 



37 

 54.79 



22 

 57.76 



27 

 55. 76 



250 

 56. 57 



1 See the following eauation: 

 Breadth X 100 

 Length 



The ear in the academicians averages large. It distinctly exceeds in both length and breadth 

 that of the old Americans in general, though its relative proportions, expressed by the ear index, 

 remain the same. The excess in ear size in the members of the Academy can only be attributed 

 to the higher presenile stature of the members and particularly to age. Anthropological re- 

 searches have by now definitely determined that stature correlates directly with all body dimen- 

 sions and that age influences all the dermic structures of the head and face. Even among the 

 academicians themselves, it is seen, this latter factor makes itself felt. 



The variability of the ear measurements is of the same order as that of those of the mouth 

 and the nose. It appears that certain groups of dimensions, such as the several diameters of 

 the head, those of the soft parts of the face with the ears, and others to be seen later, have a simi- 

 lar basic variability, which suggests a basic unity of trophic nervous control, a very interesting 

 and hitherto unheeded phenomenon. 



A point which calls for some comment in this place is not merely the frequent similarity but 

 the practical identity of the anthropometric results, such as the above ear indices. Outcomes 

 of this nature are gratifying proofs of the value of anthropometric procedures when carried on 

 with due care and by experienced observers. They have a weighty significance. They are 

 evidence of basic organic conservatism. They show that notwithstanding individual variation 

 and the great variety of conditions that have acted on different units of a racial group, the set 

 or hereditary organic processes in that racial group proceed without material disturbance. 



