126 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[BULL. 34 



The earliest signs of the development of the mammae, appreciable 

 in children when dressed, were noticed in girls of 135 cm. and above 

 in height among the Pima, and in those of 140 cm. and above in the 

 Apache, these statures representing approximately the age of from 

 11 to 12 years. From this period (see detail tables in the Appendix) 

 the breasts grow slowly until in later adolescence they reach propor- 

 tions which, in whites, would be termed moderate, and in general 

 they remain thus throughout life. Mammas of excessive size have 

 not been met with among the Indians. 



The data concerning the establishment of the monthly periods were 

 furnished by the school matrons, nearly all of w^hom keep a written 

 record of the menstruating girls. Where any doubts arose they were 

 easily settled with the aid of the matrons and of some of the older 

 pupils. In a few instances, in which the function manifested itself 

 first during school life and during the service of the present matron, 

 the exact date of its beginning and the circumstances attending this 

 occasion could be learned. In most cases, however, all that could 

 be found out was that the girl in question had been menstruating for 

 at least so long, the term named being generally that of the personal 

 acquaintance of the matron with the pupil. In consequence of these 

 conditions, and of the total absence of accurate age records, compar- 

 isons with white girls, the data pertaining to whom deal with the 

 age at which menstruation begins, can not be direct or fully satisfac- 

 tory. Any greater difference that may exist should, however, be 

 significant. 



The conditions found in the two tribes are set forth in the follow- 

 ing table: 



Menstruation (established) 



a Earliest at 142.2 cm. 



b Earliest at 138.4 cm. 



It is seen that the conditions are not alike among the San Carlos 

 Apache and the Pima, a larger proportion of the Pima girls menstru- 

 ating early. This indicates that on the whole the function is estab- 

 lished earlier among the Pima, a condition which may be due to 

 differences in climate, present and past, in the habitats of the peoples, 



