114 PHYSICAL CHARACTERS. 



(5.) The Florida Islanrls. — Measurements of six natives of Mboli Har- 

 bour gave the following cephalic indices, .... 77-2, 79*3, 79-3, 80*0, 

 •80"7, 81'4, .... tlie average of the numbers being 79-6. 



I will now proceed to sum up briefly the results of the foregoing 

 hundred measurements of the head of the living subject. It Avili 

 first be necessarj^ to reduce them to the form of measurements of the 

 actual skull by subtracting two units from the index, as proposed by 

 M. Broca. The effect of this correction in shown in the followincr 

 table : 



St. Christoval and adjoining islands, 

 The islands of Bougainville Stniits, .. 

 The north coast of Malaita, 

 The island of Simbo or Eddystone, .. 

 The Florida Islands, ... 



Accepting all indices below 75 as dolichocephalic, those between 75 

 and 80 as mesocephalic, and those above 80 as bracliycephalic, we 

 find therefore that mesocephaly, as represented by an average index 

 of 787, prevails amongst the natives of the islands of Bougainville 

 Straits ; whilst dolichocephaly, as represented by an average index 

 of 74, prevails amongst the natives of St. Christoval and its adjoin- 

 ing islands at the opposite end of the group. On tlie north coast of 

 Malaita exists a type of native with an almost brachycephalic index. 

 The foregoing remarks refer only to the average in each locality. 

 When we apply the same correction to the table of the hundred 

 measurements as given on page 112, we find, as stated on a previous 

 ])age, that 29 are dolichocephalic, 52 are mesocephalic, and 19 

 brachycephalic. It would, therefore, appear from these observations 

 that, whilst brachycephaly is not uncommon, dolichocephaly is more 

 frequent, and mesocephaly prevails. Although this result may give 

 an indication of the truth, at present it would be safer, for reasons 

 given on page 111, to accept the general conclusion that these three 

 types of skulls prevail in the Solomon Group. 



As confirmatory of the foregoing corrected measurements of the 

 head of the living subject, I will add the indices of nine skulls pro- 

 cured amongst the eastern islands of the group.^ 



^I take this opportunity of expressing my indebtedness to my messmates Lieut. Leeper and 

 Lieut. Heming, and to my friend Dr. Beaumont, staff-surgeon of H.M.S. "' Diamond," for the 

 majority of the skulls in this small collection. The officers of the survey, whilst away in 

 their boats, had more opportunities than I had of obtaining those specimens. As I was 

 usually accompanied by natives, I was often unable to take advantage of occasions. 



