THEIR HEIGHT, FORM, AND STRENGTH. 141 



half closed, they present to a casual observer the 

 appearance of being small in size. 



" The complexion is either ruddy or pale, rarely 

 sallow ; on exposure to the sun and wind it becomes 

 a clear red, seldom freckling or turning brown. 



" The prevailing colour for the hair is dark brown, 

 next in order of frequency is brown or chestnut, next 

 black ; fair and red hair are comparatively scarce. 



" In the case of the Inishkea people, the most 

 usual hair colour seems to be a clear brown, ac- 

 companied by reddish-brown beard and blue-grey 

 eyes ; in these islands, also, there is a larger pro- 

 portion of fair hair than on the mainland. The 

 hair, and beard (when worn), are fairly abundant. 

 Greyness does not appear to set in early." 



In his Ethnography of Ballycroy, North Mayo, 

 Dr. Browne writes : " The general appearance of 

 the people is rather pleasing, many of the men are 

 handsome, and the women, too, are often good- 

 looking, but, as observed in the reports on the 

 other districts surveyed, both sexes seem to age 

 rather rapidly, and some of the men become 

 wrinkled very early. 



" The men are usually stoutly built, and of about 

 the middle stature, though extremes, in this respect, 

 are more common than observed in the Mullet or 

 the Inishkea islands. 



