14 



Veddas in a noticeable manner from the oriental races living im 

 their neighbourhood.* 



In our comparisons with, other • races the Sinhalese and the 

 Tamils come chiefly under consideration : the others only 

 collaterally. Those two are so predominant, both through their 

 numbers and the extent of territory they occupy, that, apart 

 from their exclusively historical claims, they must be specially 

 considered. 



Tto Sinhalese. — For purposes of comparison with the 

 Yeddas the information with regard to the relative physical 

 condition of their neighbours is very deficient, and osteological 

 material scanty in. the European collections and what there 

 is of that rather unsafe. The following remarks must, there- 

 fore, be taken with reserve, and are made principally to induce 

 the sending of better material and especially photographs — half 

 len,ghts and not too small — showing the profile and front face 

 ki: che right horizontal position. 



The Sinhalese occupy in the main ihe south and south-west 

 of the country. According to Sir Emerson Tennent che In- 

 habitants of che south coast from Galle m Hambantotte are the 

 purest Sinhalese. This part formed an important division of 

 the old province of Ruhuna, which was very early colonised 

 by the descendants of Wijeya, who neither mingled with the 

 Malabars nor nad any intercourse with chem. 



.Physical appearance compared with ' the Veddas. — If we 

 compare the descriptions given of the Sinhalese with those of 

 the Veddas we find in reality few points of difference. The 

 complexion of the latter may be on the average somewhat 

 darker, but it varies, apparently, within the same limits. It is 

 equally doubtful if the hair varies ; allowance being made 

 for its neglected, dishevelled condition in the one case, and its. 

 carefully combed and well-kept condition in the other, it may be 

 considered that the difference here is owing rather to culture 

 than to original peculiarity. The average height of the Sinhalese 

 seems to correspond with that of the tallest Yedda, but they 



* [The detailed craniological observations which follow the des- 

 criptions of the external physical appearance of the different races are 

 here omitted ; as the material points are collected and compared or 

 contrasted in the pages which discuss their comparative craniology and 



osteology.— T. B.] 



