No. 33. — 1886.] THE VEDDAS OF CEYLON. 



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skull also gives 83*3. Very similar is the index of the Veddas, 

 while, on the other hand, that of the Sinhalese seems to be 

 lower. On the whole the orbits are high, in one case (No. 3) 

 even hypsikonch, the upper edge in most somewhat bent, and 

 the diagonal from within and above downward and outward 

 lengthened. 



The nasal index of my three skulls shows 48*8, 51*1, and 53*1, 

 — an average of 51, hence on the extreme verge of mesorrhiny. 

 No. 3 only is platyrrhine. The child's skull alone gives the 

 high platyrrhine measure, 55*5. In so far the Tamil nose 

 probably resembles the Vedda nose more than the Sinhalese. 

 But here also the index gives no distinct idea of the shape 

 of the nose. In its bony parts it is throughout narrow and 

 prominent, although the nasal process of the frontal bone is 

 very broad. The bridge is a little bent in, rather sharp and 

 aquiline. The nose, however, with them all is of little 

 height, which may in the living have rendered it quite 

 different from the Vedda nose. 



The face measures are scarcely satisfactory. Only the 

 skull in the Davis collection has a lower jaw, and in this the 

 index is 85*7, a mesoprosopic measure. Of my skulls, the 

 senile (No. 2) must be omitted because of its defective alveolar 

 processes ; the other two have middle-face indices of 51'6 and 

 53'4. The relation of the molar breadth to the middle-face 

 height amounts to 68'8 and 62*3. The Tamil face occupies 

 a middle position between the Sinhalese and the Vedda face : 

 it is shorter than the first and longer than the second. 



As regards the alveolar index, this amounts to 90, 94*8, and 

 97*8, therefore in the average 94'2. The degree of prognathy, 

 which is quite clear with the Tamils, is with no more certainty 

 to be ascertained from this than from the (nasal) facial angle. 

 The size, especially of the alveoli of the incisors, necessitates a 

 strong projection forward of the alveolar process. But the 

 palate also is decidedly broad ; hence we have a palatal index 

 of 90 and of 87*7, a brachystaphyline measure. And herein 

 lies a very striking contrast to the Sinhalese. The size of the 



