ETHNOLOGICAL EXCURSIONS IN THE MALAY PENINSULA. 209 



are tribes of the same stock, that further, in their physical 

 habifus and in respect of language they are closely connected 

 with each other and represent a pure unmixed branch of the 

 Melanesian race : anthropologically therefore they abso- 

 lutely differ from the Malays. The Melanesian tribes of the 

 Malayan Peninsula chiefly because of the form of their skull 

 which has a tendency to be Braelrycephalic, a]3proach the 

 negritos of the Philippines, and like the latter they do not 

 differ very widely from the Papuan tribes of New Guinea. 



Anthropological Notes. — The accompanying plates (II. 

 and III.) give a more correct idea of the appearance 

 and the physiognomy of the Orang Salcai and the Orang 

 Semang than a long written description. In this prelimi- 

 nary communication I shall merely give some of my observa- 

 tions upon those parts of the body which are of importance 

 in deciding the anatomical position of the race. 



Height. — Early marriages, a miserable mode of existence, 

 and frequent want of food have certainly made their mark 

 upon the whole structure of the bod} r in these tribes, and 

 therefore weak, undersized individuals abound ; though 

 there are exceptions, well-formed and good-looking men 

 being not uncommon. The size of full grown Orang Sakai, 

 according to 25 measurements, varied among the men 

 from 1450 m. m. to 1620 m. m. and among the women from 

 1400 m. m. to 1480 m. m. 



The skull of the Orang Sakai and the Orang Semang is 

 Mesocephalic with a distinct tendency towards being, Braelry- 

 cephalic. The index of breadth varied between 74 and 84 

 according to 24 measurements. This variation was in the 

 following proportions with respect to sex and age. 



Sakai men (9) the index of breadth varied from 74 — 82 

 „ women (9) „ „ „ „ 75—84 



„ children (6) „ „ „ „ 74 — 81 



Hair.— The hair of the pur sane/ orang Sakai (Plate II. 

 figure 5) curls very closely 2 — 4 m.m. in diameter and forms a 

 compact mass not standing up from the head to any great 

 degree. I also found here, as on the West Coast of New 

 Guinea and in the eastern, Moluccas, that the hair is a good 

 mark of purity of descent. Crossing is immediately shown 

 by the curling becoming less close. 



The beard is also much curled, though neither it nor the 

 hair on the other parts of the body is so closely curled as the 



