﻿NO. I NATIVES OF KHARGA OASIS HRDLICKA 45 



reality the size of the head and not its length or breadth that is 

 directly correlated with the stature. 



The augmentation in both measurements is not exactly propor- 

 tionate to stature in all its grades, but lags behind as the stature 

 increases, so that while in the shortest men the length and breadth 

 of the head represent respectively 12. 1 and 8.5 per cent of the body 

 height, in the tallest men they represent only 11.0 and 7.75 per cent 

 of the same. 



Cephalic Index 



The cephalic index averages 74.83, which characterizes the Kharga 

 people as in general dolicho- and mesocephalic. The extremes extend 

 on one side to hyperdolichocephaly while on the other they barely 

 reach the beginning of brachycephaly, showing that there is but little 

 tendency towards real broad-headedness. The range of variation, 

 12.7 or ± 0.085 P er un it of the average, is not unusual. The curve 

 of distribution (fig. 4) of the index, however, shows two pro- 

 nounced and well separated points, which exceed considerably any 

 effects of the mathematical probable error and which, considering the 

 number of subjects involved, can not well be regarded as without sig- 

 nificance. The tendency towards this double grouping is recog- 

 nizable in the distribution curves of both the measurements the rela- 

 tion of which is expressed by the cephalic index, but in the latter the 

 condition is especially clear. It is interesting to note that Myers 1 

 found a very much similar condition in the soldiers from several of 

 the Egyptian provinces, but decided, not warrantably, it seems, that 

 the two peaks of his polygons " were purely due to chance." The 

 two peaks were located in all cases one at 73 and the other at 76-77, 

 which agrees closely with the 72.5 and 75.5 peaks at Kharga. 



The writer feels obliged to regard the principal grouping shown 

 by the cephalic index curve or polygon at Kharga as not wholly 

 accidental. It has very probably other causes. These may be racial, 

 in which the condition would express a mixture of two ethnic 

 elements, one more and one less dolichocephalic; or it may be 

 pathological, using this term especially in its extension to various 

 defective conditions that are liable to affect adversely the develop- 

 ments and growth of the organism. The problem is difficult of 

 definite solution from the data at hand. The writer's impression is 

 that in this case it is principally the anthropological factor that is 

 accountable. 



1 Myers, C. S. : Contribution to Egyptian Anthropology ; III. The Anthro- 

 pometry of the Modern Mahommedans. Jour. Anthr. Inst. Vol. 36, 1906, p. 

 246 et seq. 



