100 BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 34 



The functions just mentioned show practically no differences in 

 the two tribes selected, and are very nearly alike in the time, order, 

 and methods of their manifestation as in the case of normal and 

 healthy white infants. Retardations, however, which are quite fre- 

 quent among white children taken at large, are apparently very rare 

 among the Indians. 



Talking: The youngest Apache child seen who could say one or two 

 simple words ("mama," '' papa ") was nearly 10^ months old ; in infants 

 older than 1 year the ability to say a. few simple words is general. 

 At about 2 years of age, sometimes earlier, the child begins to employ 

 a few simple combinations of words and gradualh^ improves until the 

 fourth year, when it talks quite well. Among the Pima the youngest 

 child seen able to sayafew words was a girl of 17^ months. Twin sisters 

 of 22 months and 5 days could each say ''papa" and "mama" only, 

 but a girl of 23 months not only knew more words but already em- 

 ployed very simple combinations (as " mama, bread ; " " papa, water ") . 

 After they are 2 years old the Pima children in general, like the 

 Apache, use the words they know with a slight idea of connection, 

 and thereafter improve, until toward the end of the fourth year they 

 speak quite properly. 



As compared with whites, it seems that in the beginning of the 

 function of speech and in the ability to learn the Indian child is in 

 no way backward. It is quite certain, however, that the average 

 white child gets more exercise in talking and that after the second 

 year it knows a greater number and variety of words. 



Defects of speech, as stammering or stuttering, have never been met 

 with by the writer in any of the tribes visited. 



Children Whose Age Could not be Ascertained 



The number of subjects in this series exceeds considerably that in 

 the previous category ; the approximate ages embraced are from about 

 the fourth year to advanced adolescence. 



In the absence of age records it is necessary to choose another basis 

 of comparison, and the most suitable one for the present purpose is 

 stature. The correlation of stature and age in both sexes among the 

 whites being well known, it is possible to assign to each division of 

 the Indian children also an approximate age. 



The investigation of this series of children was extended somewhat 

 so as to include determinations of temperature and muscular force, 

 some observations as to puberty, and especially a number of meas- 

 urements of the bod}^ besides stature, which may be expected to 

 tlu'ow light on several important lines of development. All these 

 data, and those on pulse and respiration, are supplemented by other 

 data on the adults of the same people, secured by the writer, 



