No. 33. — 1886.] the veddAs of ceylon. 



463 



by Mr. Hartshorne, may be explained among the Veddas, 

 perhaps, by their shortness and leanness ; — at any rate, only 

 the first would be of any importance if it should be proved 

 by measurement to be altogether disproportionate. Perhaps 

 we meet here, however, with a deception similar to that of 

 Mr. Bennett's, who lays such stress upon the length of the 

 foot, whilst direct measurement shows perfectly fair propor- 

 tions. It may be true that the Veddas are flat-footed, but 

 this would not be sufficient to constitute a race-distinction. 



Similar observations, only still less distinctive, we find in 

 regard to the size of the head, especially the capacity of the 

 skull. The single numbers, as well as the averages, I have 

 already given, and compared with one another. The 

 result proves that the Vedda skulls on the average are much 

 smaller than the Sinhalese ; in fact, that a certain number of 

 them can be called positively nannocephalic. The Sinhalese 

 skulls, however, have only a capacity on the average of 1,406 

 cub. cm., and among eleven examples only three between 1,100 

 and 1,200 cub. cm. If we weigh against this that also among 

 the Vedda skulls were two of 1,614 and 1,420 cub. cm., it 

 follows that (supposing these skulls to be genuine) not only is 

 nannocephaly no constant characteristic, but skulls of even 

 great capacity are found among the Veddas. The numbers 

 slide over from both sides ; the highest average of the Sin- 

 halese does not prevent the occurrence of very small examples ; 

 and vice versa, the certainly very low average of the Veddas 

 includes some pretty large specimens. 



I will not rehearse the length measurements and the 

 relations deduced from them. In this way certain differences 

 between the two tribes have come to light, but we shall be 

 able to represent them parallel to each other in the indices. 

 To only one of the proportions will I here call attention, 

 because this may be of considerable importance, viz., that 

 with the Sinhalese the front and middle head have a larger 

 share in forming the roof of the skull, while with the Veddas 

 it is the occipital region. Yet I am bound to mention 



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