138* THE SERI INDIANS [Erii.AN.N.n 



color distinction alone sufficed to distinguish the Seri from any other 

 people at a glance. 



Foremost among tlie general somatic distinctions between the Cau- 

 casian and the American native is the peripheral development of the 

 former, displayed in better-muscled limbs, more expressive features, 

 etc — i. e., the Caucasian body expresses a readily perceptible but ditti- 

 cultlydescribableperiiiherization,iii contradistinction from the centrali- 

 zation displayed by the aboriginal body. Save in a single particular 

 (the large feet and hands), the Seri exemplify this distinction in remark- 

 able degree: their chests are strikingly broad, deep, and long, recalling 

 the thoroughbred racer or greyhound; their waists are shortened by 

 the chest development, yet are rather sleuder; their hips are broad 

 and deep, with a clean-cut yet massive gluteal development; and, 

 in comparison with the robust yet compact bodies, the tapering arms 

 and legs seem incongruously slender.' This physical characteristic, 

 like that of color, is insusceptible of quantitative expression, at 

 least without much more refined observations than have been made; 

 but its value may be indicated roughly \>y the statement that the 

 Seri differs from the average aboriginal American in degree of somatic 

 concentration as much as the average aborigine differs from the 

 average Caucasian — though it is noteworthy that the departure in 

 this direction from the aboriginal mean is in some measure regional 

 (i. e., the Seri differ less in this respect from the Papago and other 

 swift-footed natives than from the average tribesmen of the continent). 

 The Seri robustness of body and slenderness of limb are brought out by 

 the absence (in appearance at least) of adipose; the skin is strikingly 

 firm and hard and evidently thick, yet the play of muscle and tendon 

 beneath indicate a dearth of connective tissue and convey that impres- 

 sion of ijhysical vigor which their familiars so miss in the photographs; 

 and in no case, save perhaps in the young babe, could the slighest 

 trace of obesity be discerned. Thus the Seri, male and female, young 

 and old, may be described as notably deep-chested and clean-limbed 

 quick-steppers, or as human thoroughbreds. 



The somatic symmetry of the average Seri, marred somewhat by the 

 slenderness of limb, is still more marred by the large extremities. The 

 hand is broad and long, the fingers are relatively long as those of the 

 Caucasian, the nails are peculiarly thick and strong, and the skin is so 

 thick and calloused as to give a clumsy look to the entire organ ; the feet 

 are still larger and thicker-skinned, appearing disproportionately long 

 and broad for even the heroic stature of the tallest warriors. The integu- 

 mentcoveringthe feet, ankles, and lower legs is incredibly firm and hard, 

 more resembling that of horse or camel than the ordinary human type; 



' The photo-mechanical reproductions do but meager justice to the splendid chest development of 

 the Seri, young and old; for they were not only at semisomnolent rest during the hotter hours at 

 ubich jihotograpliy was most feasible, hut invariably quaih'd before the mysterious ajtitaratus and 

 crouched shrinkiugly in such wise as to contract their chests and lose their habitually erect and 

 expansive carriage. 



