THE PAWNEES. 



195 



Vertical diameter, . 

 Inter-mastoid arch, . 

 Inter-mastoid line, . 

 Occipito-frontal arch. 

 Horizontal periphery. 

 Internal capacity. 

 Capacity of the anterior chamber. 

 Capacity of the posterior chamber. 

 Capacity of the coronal region. 

 Facial angle, .... 



5,5 inches. 

 15. inches. 



4.4 inches. 

 14.3 inches. 

 19.8 inches. 



74, cubic inches. 

 33.5 cubic inches. 

 41.5 cubic inches. 



9.5 cubic inches. 

 73 degrees. 



On comparing five Iroquois heads, I find that they give an average internal 

 capacity of 88 cubic inches, which is within two inches of the Caucasian mean. 

 The largest of them gives no less than 98.5 cubic inches, and the smallest (the 

 Huron above described) seventy-four. The mean of the anterior chamber is 35.5 

 cubic inches, while that of the posterior chamber is 52.5. The mean of the 

 coronal region gives 1 5 cubic inches. 



THE PAWNEES. 



The Pawnees consist of two nations, the Pawnees proper, and the Ricaras or 

 Aricaras, which last are also called Black Pawnees. The former inhabit the 

 country on the river Platte, and the Ricara villages are below the Mandans, on 

 the Missouri. These tribes speak a language different from any other on this 

 continent. They do not differ much, in their physical character and belligerent 

 habits, from the surrounding nations, but they have until lately practised the 

 singular custom of sacrificing human victims to Venus, " The Great Star." This 

 ceremony was performed annually, and immediately preceded their harvest labors, 

 the success of which it was designed to promote. The practice is said to be an 

 anomaly among the North American nations.* 



Exped. to Rocky Mountains, I, p. 357.— Gallatin, Archseolog. Amer. II, p. 128. 



