4S2 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. IX. 



accounts of the Negritos in India, from which they conclude 

 definitely that genuine Negritos are still living in various 

 parts of the country. I cannot esteem the evidence sufficient, 

 although I will not deny that the question is open to dis- 

 cussion. I will give only one example as ground for my 

 misgivings, which is not, however, taken from the Indians, 

 but from genuine Negritos from the neighbourhood. 



The so-called Negrito (or Mincopie) race which inhabits 

 the neighbouring provinces to the east, and principally 

 several clusters of islands and parts of Malacca (though they 

 are in fact only scattered members of the tribe), show 

 unquestionably by their dark complexion as well as small- 

 ness of frame, and particularly of the head, a striking approach 

 to the Veddas and Kurumbas. As next to them in point of 

 territory we must mention their near neighbours the " little 

 blacks" who dwell in the Andaman Islands. In truth, 

 Mr. Hartshorne* points to certain analogies between Veddas 

 and Andamanese. But his proofs refer exclusively to single 

 customs and peculiarities, — for instance, to the use of the 

 bow and arrow, to their inability to count, — but nowhere 

 rest upon physical grounds. It cannot be denied, however, 

 that the Andamanese, through previously cited characteristics, 

 are physically pretty closely related to the Veddas. In the 

 measurements of Mr. F. Jagorf from the living I calculate 

 the average height of the Andamanese : — 



mm. 



17 males at ... ... 1,488 



10 females at ... ... 1,416 



27 Andamanese at ... 1,462 



Among these the minimum is 1,350 with a man 20 years old, 

 and 1,320 mm. with a woman of 24 ; the maximum 1,636 

 with a man 40 years old, and 1,504 mm. with a woman 



* Journal of tlie Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 1878, vol. VII., p. 468. 



f Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie, 1876, bd. VII. Verhandl. der Anthropol. 

 Gesellsch., s. 262. Journ. Anthrop. Inst., I. c, p. 437. 



