236 REPORTS ON TflE STATE OP* SCIENCE. 



The exceptional tallness in the west of the brachycephals seems to be 

 due to an early inroad from the north ; that of the dolichocephals of 

 the west may be due to the greater stature of the ancient Kydhonians as 

 compared with the Eteocretans of the east. 



Eye-colour. 



There remains a word to say on the colour of eyes. These records 

 are only in course of tabulation; I speak, therefore, from a cursory 

 perusal. Classing blue, grey, and green eyes together as light, in 

 contrast with the hazel, light brown, medium brown, and fonce, I find 

 there is a somewhat surprisingly high percentage of light eyes Tor the 

 whole of Crete — namely, 29. The percentages vary from 18 in Lasitbi 

 eparchy to 40 in Sitia. The distribution offers no obvious clue. Light 

 eyes are about equally divided between east and west, with the highest 

 and lowest averages in the eastern half. Kydhonfa 34 per cent, and 

 Sphakia 32i per cent, in the west are matched by Pedhiadha 33 per cent, 

 and Hierapetra 34 per cent, in the east. Selino, next door to Sphakia, 

 has the low average of 26 per cent., and compares with Mylop6tamo 

 25 per cent., which two eparchies form so strong a contrast from the 

 point of view of the proportion of long-heads to broad-heads. Selino 

 has three brachycephals to every dolichocephal, and Mylopotamo has 

 three dolichocephals to every brachycephal. 



Speaking of the island as a whole, the numbers of light eyes are 

 equally divided between the short and the tall, the dolichocephals and 

 the brachycephals, in proportion to the number of individuals, so that 

 apparently it is impossible to distinguish by percentage of light eyes one 

 type from another. However, ethnical differences may lie concealed 

 under diverse combinations in different areas, and further study may 

 reveal them. I fail to trace, what is generally expected, a greater 

 frequency of light eyes in the mountains, but it should be remembered 

 that the predominance of the older brunette race in these areas furnishes 

 a more than counteracting tendency. This is well illustrated in Lasithi, 

 which has the lowest percentage of light eyes (18), as well as the closest 

 approximation in head measurements to our records for Minoans. 



My census of 2,000 school-children taken throughout the island, 

 whether compared in tola or by eparchies with adults, shows a sur- 

 prisingly diminished average, 18 per cent, instead of 29 per cent. This 

 striking difference, obtained from figures carefully gathered and com- 

 piled, calls for a radical explanation; but, apart from such, is there here 

 a tendency to reversion to type? 



I am only too conscious of the fragmentary condition of this report, 

 of the many characteristics and questions of variation which do not 

 receive mention ; but the material is gathered, and in the main tabulated, 

 and it should be only a matter of time before the observations made 

 throw light on questions of migration and descent in the most interesting 

 island of the Mediterranean. 



