12 



SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



the distribution of the statures under 1610 (5 ft. 35 in.) it is 

 seen that besides several scattered areas towards the south 

 of the district under discussion there is a large central area, 

 which, following the example of Broca who found a similar 

 area of a dwarfed population in Basse Bretagne, Dr. 

 Collignon calls "the Limousin black spot" ("/a tache 

 noire Limousin "). 



In other cantons less than 10 per cent, of the statures 

 have under 1600 (5 ft. 3 in.), those in the black spot have 



Fig. 4. The Distribution of Stature. (The Department of Creuse is omitted.) 



Stature less than 161 cm. (5 ft. -^\ ins.), cross-hatched; between 161 and 164 cm.,, 

 blank; from 164 (5 ft. 4^ ins.) to 166 cm. (5 ft. 5^ ins.), shaded. 



The line AB separates the granites and crystalline rocks on the east from the 



calcareous beds on the west. 



without exception over 30 per cent. ; eight cantons have more 

 than 40 per cent., one has 547 per cent, while that of Saint 

 Mathieu has 67*6 per cent, less than 1600, four below 1540,. 

 and 8'8 per cent, below 1500 (4 ft. 11 in.)! True dwarfs, 

 that is those with a stature below 1500 mm., are exceptional 

 everywhere. 



These figures are not due to an accidental and temporary 

 selection as the following figures of Bondin prove, which 

 extended over a period of thirty years (183; -i860). These 



