506 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academij. 



be mentioned that many Avere dissuaded by a man Tvho claims fairy 

 acquaintances giving out that tbe measurements were unlucky. 



Wten all tbese tbings are taken into account it is not to be 

 wondered at that we were only able to obtain measurements of tbirty- 

 eigbt men, who, bowever, fi'om the fixity of type prerailing in tbis 

 as in most western districts, were fairly representatire specimens. 



2. Physical Characters : — 



(a) Tbe following is a description of tbe prevailing physical 

 characters of the people of this district, who are as a rule strong, well- 

 developed, and sturdy, though in common with most of the peasantry 

 of our west coast districts they age early fi'om hard work and exposure 

 to the weather. 



Stature and hdh. — The inhabitants of this district are of about 

 average stature, of a stout and square build, and are muscularly well- 

 developed and capable of much hard work and endui'ance. 



The mean height of the 38 adult males measui'ed was 1716 mm. 

 or 5 feet 7^ inches (about the usual Irish mean stature). The 

 extremes were 1555 mm. (5 feet 1^- inches) and 1860 mm. (6 feet 

 IJ inches). There is a fair proportion of men of above the middle 

 height, and but a small one of men of veiy short stature. Of the 38 

 men measured 5 were of 1800 mm. (5 feet 11 inches) and upwards, 

 and only 3 of less than 1600 mm. 



Liriibs. — The hands are long but well-shapen, and the arms are 

 muscular and sti'ong. The feet appear to be rather large. The fore- 

 arms are long in proportion to the statui'e, but less so than in the 

 people of the neighbouring islands of Gorumna and Lettermullen. The 

 span of the arms is usually gi'eat, but in one case was observed to be 

 less than the statui'e. 



Head. — The head is well-shaped, with upright forehead and 

 prominent fi'ontal eminences. The glabella and superciliary eminences 

 are also well-marked. The vertex is round and the head curves down 

 irom it without any marked projection from the line of the neck. The 

 eyes are rather deep-set and the eyebrows thick and level. 



Hair. — The hair is usually light or dark brown, these colours 

 forming about 80 per cent, of the cases noted. True black and red 

 hair are both of infi'equent occurrence comparatively speaking, and 

 much of that noted as black is really an intensified dark brown. In a 

 large proportion of cases the hair is wavy or curly. The beard and 

 eyebrows ai'e both full and abundant, and ai'e generally lighter in tint 

 than the hair of the scalp. 



