THE PIGMIES. 29 



M. Marche describes the M' Boulous as having an earthy- 

 brown complexion. ( x ) Admiral Fleuriot confines himself to 

 stating that these dwarfs are not so dark as their taller neighbours. 



We have seen above that the Admiral has only spoken appro- 

 ximately of the height of his Akoa. M. Marche also confines 

 himself to saying that the M' Boulous hardly exceed l m o 60. Dr. 

 Falkensteun" is more precise. The adult Babonko, whom he pho- 

 tographed, was about forty years of age and measured l m 365. (*) 



The average of these four figures is l m 428 ; but as two of 

 them have been given as maxima, we are entitled to consider this 

 average as too high. With regard to stature, the Negrillos of 

 this region would therefore be below Negritos and would come 

 nearer to the Bushmen, who are perhaps the shortest race of 

 men, their mean height being as low as l m 370. ( 3 ). 



But the Negrillos differ from the Bushmen in a most essential 

 anatomical characteristic. These latter are strictly dolichocephalic 

 or sub-dolichocephalic, (*) whereas, on the contrary, the Akoas 

 the Bongos,... &c, are brachiocephalic or at least sub-brachycepha- 

 lic. ( 5 ) The measurements of the skulls, brought back by Admiral 

 Fleurtot, M. Marche and others, have removed all doubt as to 

 this fact which a simple glance at the photographs is sufficient 

 to prove. ( 6 ) 



M. Hamy has not contented himself with recognising and defin- 

 ing the Negrillo type of the tribes that have maintained a com- 

 parative purity of blood in Gaboon, lower Ogooue and Loango ; he 

 has traced it much farther and has shown that it has had a real 

 and important influence on the formation of several of the popula- 



(0 Hamy, loc. cit., p. 86. 



(a) The other individual was a young man of fifteen years old who mea- 

 sured lra025 only. ( Hamy, loc. cit., p. 82.) 



( 3 ) We shall see further on that the Akkas seem to stand below the Bush- 

 men in this respect. 



(*) Their average horizontal index, 77,45, places them in this last category 

 {Crania ethnica, p. 898. 



( 5 ) Their average horizontal index, 88.23, raises them to • the upper 

 limit of sub-brachycephalism. ( Crania ethnica, p. 350.) 



(s) Among others, the photograph given in the work of Admiral de 

 Lang-le above quoted. 



