26 DR DAVID HEPBURN ON 
Median nostrils (Mesorhine), 48 to 53—eg., Chinese. 
Broad nostrils (Platyrhine), above 53—eg., Australian 
Aboriginals. 
Australian Aboriginals represent the Platyrhine group, 
and Kuropeans—among civilised western peoples—the 
Leptorhine group. No aboriginal belongs to the latter, 
and no European to the former. Sir William Turner 
gives the Mean Nasal Index in male Scotch skulls as 44:3, 
and among female Scotch skulls 467 ¢., they are well within 
the Leptorhine group. 
The Orbit (which is the bony chamber containing the 
eyeball) is also a source of valuable information, particularly 
in relation to the relative proportions of its outlet, where 
the width and breadth are measured at right angles to each 
other. The width is measured from the Dacryon (Gr.. 
dakryo, to weep) to the outer wall; and the height is the 
greatest measurement obtainable at right angles to the width. 
The width is always greater than the height. 
Orbital height x 100 
Orbital width 
High orbit (Megaseme), above 89—e.g., Andamans and 
Chinese. 
Moderate orbit (Mesoseme), 84 to 89—e.., English and 
Scotch. 
Low orbit (Microseme), below 84—e y., Guanches and 
Australian Aboriginals. 
A microseme orbit is elongated transversely. 
Important information is also derived from contrasting 
the length and breadth of the Hard Palate. In obtaining 
these measurements, both the outer and inner lamelle of 
the alveolar border have been selected. The length is taken 
in the Mesial Plane, and the width at the level of the- 
second molar teeth. 
Palatal length x 100 
Palatal breadth 
Leptostaphyline, below 80. 
Mesostaphyline, 80 to 85. 
Brachystaphyline, above 85. 
= Orbital Index. 
= Palatal Index. 
