28 BULLETIN 134, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



in aboriginal southeastern Panama. The ethnic relationship of the 

 Caribbean coast population on the northern slope of the isthmus, 

 that is, the Cuna and Tule, being with the ancient high-cultured peo- 

 ples of Peru and Yucatan, while the ethnic relationship of the Pacific 

 coast population, the Choco stock, on the southern isthmian slope, is 

 physically with the South American tropical lowland tribes, the 

 Caribs and Arawaks. 



The overlapping and borrowing in these two stocks of many cul- 

 tural manifestations becomes apparent from a detailed study of their 

 arts, but here again a great diversity of social practices and material 

 culture is found. 



In the American Journal of Physical Anthropology Dr. A. 

 Hrdlicka writes : " The type of the inland people, the Chocos, nears 

 that of the Nahua, while that of the coastal Cunas (Tule) is evi- 

 dently very close on one hand to that of the Mayas of Yucatan, and 

 on the other to that of the Yungas who extended for a great dis- 

 tance along the western coast of South America, to below Nasca. 

 The characteristics and differences between the two will be seen 

 from the following: 



THE CUNAS THE CHOCOS 



On the average of small stature. Slightly taller. 



Very brachycephalic. Meso-to moderately braehycephalic. 



The head is low. The head is high. 



Arms and legs rather long. Arms and legs shorter. 



The head absolutely and relatively Head slightly smaller, 

 slightly larger. 



Face similar in the two. 



Nose longer. Nose shorter. 



Nasal index lower. Nasal index higher. 



Mouth, chest, and hands similar in the two. 



Foot slightly longer and narrower ; Foot slightly shorter and broader ; 

 index lower. index higher. 



Temperature similar in the two. 



Pulse and respiration somewhat more Both somewhat slower. 



frequent. 

 Ears markedly shorter ; index higher. Ears longer, trace narrower ; index 



lower. 

 Muscular strength somewhat less. Strength somewhat greater, especially 



in males. 



" Of the two types of Panaman Indians here shown, that of the 

 coast is particularly interesting. It is a short, sturdy, round-headed 

 type Avith characteristic physiognomy. They are of about medium 

 brown color, have straight black hair, scraggy beard or mustache, 

 and but little hair on the body. The forehead is generally more or 

 less sloping, eyeslits are commonly perceptibly oblique, the nose in 

 the males is as a rule convex, the malars relatively large and rather 



