Messrs Duckworth & Pain, Some Eskimo from Labrador. 287 



here mention that the University Anatomical Museum received 

 a few years ago a donation of Eskimo skulls from Hopedale (pre- 

 sented by Dr E. Curwen, St John's College): Hebron is as much 

 as four hundred miles north of this place, but the physical type 

 is probably very similar in both instances. These Eskimo thus 

 belong distinctly to the Eastern group of their race with whom 

 the Gi'eenlanders are usually ranked, and so are to be compared or 

 in some particulars contrasted with the " Central," and " Western " 

 or Alaskan groups of this stock. There is, however, reason to be- 

 lieve that the Labrador Eskimo have been less subject than any of 

 the other branches to foreign influences and admixture, and this 

 consequently enhances the interest they possess from the stand- 

 point of physical anthropology. It is a matter of great regret 

 that they are so few in number : Mr Taber estimates at some- 

 thing under 2000 individuals the whole Eskimo population of an 

 area in Labrador about equal to that of Great Britain : such paucity 

 of numbers when taken into consideration together with the fact 

 of their liability to many forms of disease may well cause the 

 gravest apprehensions for their permanence. (For these diseases, 

 &c, cf. Turner : Annual Report of the American Bureau of Ethno- 

 logy, Vol. xi. pp. 187 — .) 



The appended figures will afford an idea of the average stature 

 of males and females respectively, the difference being on the 

 average about 80 mm. in favour of the former. But there is a 

 considerable range of variety presented by the males, of whom 

 Tapeka-Pinnit and Alukt-Mikiuk represent the highest and 

 lowest extremes respectively. (Herein differing from the Ungava 

 Eskimo — cf. Turner, loc. cit. p. 184.) The skin colour and com- 

 plexion does not differ much in the two sexes, but was rather 

 paler than might have been expected, though this is probably due 

 to the conditions of life at Olympia, viz. in almost constant confine- 

 ment indoors, and in exposure to the glare of electric arc-lamps 

 (cf. Turner, loc. cit. p. 185). One or two of the men exhibit however 

 a coppery tint. Freckling was not observed, but one woman had 

 several moles (naevi) on the face. There was no tattooing to be 

 noticed. In all the men, the hair of the head is abundant, thick 

 and rather coarse, lank, and of a jet-black colour. It is cut 

 evenly round the head just below the ears. The hair of the 

 women is carefully braided, partings being made on the head 

 in the transverse and antero-posterior directions, and the four 

 masses of hair thus separated being gathered up into four plaits, 

 which are looped around the sides of the head. 



In the men, a beard appears to be developed but is compara- 

 tively late in appearing and never seems abundant. The moustache 

 and whiskers are also of feeble development only. 



These Eskimo are thus remarkably uniform in the characters 



