42 G. E. Fryer — On the Khyeng people of Sandoway, Arakan. [No. 1, 



Considering how strongly brachy-cephalic* the Burman head is, the 

 dolichocephalism of the Khyeng head form, as shown here, is curious. In 

 proportion to its length, the female head is both broader and higher than 

 the head of the male. 



The prevailing complexion of the people corresponds with Xo. 28, and 

 the colour of the eyes with No. 1, of Broca's tableau. The colour of the hair 

 is black, but among the women patches of reddish brown hair occur some- 

 times, generally at the crown of the head. 



Individual and Family Life. 



Customs. — Under this head are included the usages observed at births, 

 marriages, and deaths. 



As regards the first, child-bearing is always assisted and by women. 

 Deaths from child-birth are very rare. Labour is easy and seldom protract- 

 ed, the woman generally goes to her work the following day. The infant is 

 washed in clear rice water. 



Boy's names are monosyllabic, but the girls have the particle pa or ma 

 prefixed to theirs. The names are given either from a fanciful resemblance 

 to some object, or with reference to circumstances occurring at the time of 

 birth ; thus, if at the time of birth there occurred a great flood, a boy would 

 be named Hlem, and a girl Pahlem, signifying " great." A child is weaned 

 between the ages of eighteen months or two years. Puberty takes place 

 between the ages of twelve and fifteen, at which period the disfiguring ope- 

 ration of tattooing the girl's face is usually performed. 



As regards marriage. "When a young man wishes to court a girl, he 

 visits her by appointment at night in her parents' dwelling, taking with 

 him some trifling present ; if subsequently approved by the parents, he 

 lives in the house. After some months, and indeed if poor, after the birth 

 of one or two children, the ceremony of taking the girl to his house takes 

 place amid much feasting and dancing. On reaching her new home, the 

 priest performs the ceremony of introducing her to the protection of her 

 husband's household god by winding a thread seven times round the girl's 

 right arm, and invoking numberless blessings upon her. 



When a person falls sick, one or two priests are sent for and consulted ; 

 sometimes they merely state their opinion as to what spirit has seized the 

 sufferer and a propitiatory offering suitable to such spirit is made ; at other 

 times they inquire what the sufferer dreamed of the night previous ; if an 

 elemental god or other high object of adoration, such as a Burmese pagoda, 



* The terms brachy-cephalic and dolichocephalic are employed in this sense, viz., 

 where the breadth is to the length in the proportion of - 80, or more, to l - 00, the head is 

 placed in the brachy-cephalic category, where it is below that proportion, or less than 

 •80 to l - 00, in the dolicho-cephalic. 



