14 



Transactions. — Zoology. 



closely correspond with the previous one, which deals with 

 the gnathic index. The range of variation is considerable — 

 14 degrees. 



Palato-maxillary Index. 



sixty skulls in the tables, 

 brachyuranic ; thirteen, or 

 three only, or 5 per cent., 



The averages place all the divisions in Sir William Turner's 

 brachyuranic group. The greatest range of variation, 30-9, 

 occurs as usual in the Ngaitahu Tribe, and the distribution of 

 its thirty^two skulls is as follows : Brachyuranic, twenty-four, 

 or 75 per cent. ; mesuranic, six, or 18-8 per cent. ; dolichuranic, 

 two, or 6-9 per cent. In the south-west-coast group all the 

 skulls are brachyuranic, and the index is highest. In Pro- 

 fessor Turner's six skulls from Kapiti, however, one is dolich- 

 uranic, and three are mesuranic. The general average for the 

 whole of New Zealand is, of course, brachyuranic. Of the 



forty-four, or 73-3 per cent., are 

 21-7 per cent., are mesuranic ; 

 are dolichuranic. The measure- 

 ments given by Professor Flower of his skulls from Whangarei 

 do not permit of this index being calculated. 



The width of the face relative to that of the brain-case is 

 shown by comparing the bizygomatic diameter with the maxi- 

 mum transverse, and Stephanie diameter of the cranium. In 

 looking over the tables we find that in the great majority of 

 the skulls the maximum transverse diameter is greater than 

 the bizygomatic width. Among the male Ngaitahu skulls 

 fourteen have the transverse diameter greater than the bizy- 

 gomatic, while the reverse is the case in five skulls. Among 

 the females of the same tribe six show the former condition, 

 one the latter, while in another the two diameters are equal. 

 In the combined North Island groups the proportion is 

 twenty-two of the former type to seven of the latter, and in 

 two the diameters are equal. The terms " pha^nozygous " and 

 " cryptozygous " roughly indicate the relation between the bizy- 

 gomatic width and the Stephanie, or, rather, the maximum 

 frontal diameter. As shown in Tables I. and II., all the male 

 skulls from both Islands, with two exceptions, are phasuozy- 

 gous ; and one of these cryptozygous skulls cannot be regarded 



