Physical Characteristics of the Copper Eskimos b51 



bring them on a level with the pure-blood Eskimos farther east. This will still 

 leave the stature of the men unaccountably low. A study of the graphs given 

 below throws a little more light on the problem. There it will be seen that the 

 polygons representing the statures at Point Barrow differ considerably from 

 those for Coronation gulf and East Greenland. The rise to the peak is slower 

 and less regular, and the interval between the sexes is less. In the case of the 

 Point Barrow men there is very little decline after the peak is reached, which 

 would indicate that the series of measurements from which the figure is con- 

 structed is inadequate. Altogether one is left with the impression that a more 

 complete series might have ironed out some of the peculiarities in these graphs 

 and brought the statures at Point Barrow into closer approximation with those 

 of the eastern natives. 



The case of the Smith sound Eskimos is somewhat similar, for they too are 

 considerably shorter than their neighbours on either side. It might be con- 

 jectured in their case that the tallest and strongest Eskimos were farther north 

 with Peary at the time Steensby measured the group; but while this might 

 reasonably explain the low stature of the men, it could hardly account for the 

 equally anomalous stature of the women. However we can lay very little 

 stress on the means for this group, since they are derived from only 18 individuals, 

 8 men and 10 women. A larger series of measurements might raise the 

 means considerably. 



The same uncertainty appears in the figures for the Mackenzie delta, since 

 they also are based on a very inadequate number of cases. One point that can 

 be noticed here is that whereas the difference between the statures of men and 

 women among Eskimos is normally around 100 mm.. Stone's averages of 12 

 Mackenzie delta men, 1,675 mm., and of 6 women, 1,515 mm., give a difference 

 of 160 mm. My own measurements of 4 men from the same region make the 

 average stature only 1,622 mm. It is clear that these means are far from satis- 

 factory. A much larger series of measurements is required, but unfortunately 

 these can no longer be obtained owing to the influx of new settlers into the 

 Mackenzie delta and the rapid decline of the old inhabitants. 



The stature of the women in Coronation gulf seems unusually high, their 

 mean being 13 mm. above that of th NE. Greenland women, and 27 mm. above 

 that of the women of Iglulik. These means, however, give a less true idea of 

 the situation than graphical representations. The polygons below depict the 

 statures in East Greenland (NE. and SE. Greenland combined). Coronation 

 gulf and Point Barrow, the only places withinthe whole Eskimo area from which 

 we have the data necessary for their construction. A glance ^ows that the 

 polygons for East Greenland and for Coronation gulf are remarkably alike. The 

 somewhat greater stature of the Coronation gulf women comes out very clearly, 

 but, what the means failed to show us, the men also incline to be taller than their 

 East Greenland kinsmen. Now the East Greenland natives are considered 

 by Hansen to be a pure and unmixed Eskimo tribe. Are we then to attribute 

 the slightly greater stature of the Coronation gulf natives to an infusion of 

 Indian blood, as in the case of Alaska? It would seem that the resemblance 

 between the stature polygons for Coronation gulf and East Greenland is so 

 close that their slight differences in position might reasonably be ascribed to 

 differences in the local conditions and modes of life, in which case, unless other 

 evidence is forthcoming, any theory of Indian admixture is unnecessary. The 

 increased height in Coronation gulf, however, need create no difficulty in our 

 theory as to the effects of European and Indian contact on Eskimo stature. 



50932—41 



