44 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
and a mean conjugate of 109 mm,, from whicli a brim index of 91*6 can be computed, so 
that they are mesatipellic (mesatilekanic). This is a high index for the female sex, 
and as experience has shown that in each race the brim index is as a rule distinctly 
higher in the male pelvis than in the female, it is not unlikely that the male pelves 
are dolichopellic, and the high index in my male specimen is probably a key to the 
dolichopellic (dolicholekanic) character of these people, 
I have had no opportunity of examining any pelves of the Indian tribes of either 
North or South America, Very little, indeed, appears to be known of the pelvis in the 
North American Indians. Von Franque has described a male and female pelvis of Flat- 
head Indians from Vancouver Island, and from his measurements the brim index in the 
male was 76 and in the female 84 "5. Barnard Davis gives the measurements of the 
pelvis of a male Illinois Indian, which had a transverse diameter, 127 mm,, a conjugate, 
110 mm., pelvic index 86, Verneau describes a female Mexican^ with a transverse 
diameter 130 mm, and a conjugate 104 mm., the brim index being 80. The mean of 
the two males was 81, and that of the two females 82, so that both sexes were platypellic. 
Weber, Barnard Davis and Verneau have all described specimens of the pelvis 
in various tribes of South American Indians. Weber figures the pelvis of a male 
Botocudo Indian, the transverse diameter of the brim in which was 4 in. 7 lines, the 
conjugate diameter 4 inches, which gave an index 85 ; also a female Botocudon, the 
transverse diameter in which was 4 in. 3 lines, the conjugate 4 in. 6 lines which give a 
pelvic index 107, He places the male in his group of pelves with an oval inlet, the 
female in his cuneiform group. Barnard Davis found a male Puelche Indian to have both 
the transverse and conjugate diameters of the brim equal at 116 mm., with an index 
therefore of 100, and an ancient male Peruvian with the transverse diameter considerably 
in excess of the conjugate, and with an index of 81. Verneau gave the transverse 
diameter of the brim in a male Charruan Indian as 122 mm. and the conjugate as 
115 mm., the index being 94; also the transverse diameter of a male Botocudon 
as 123 mm. and the conjugate as 91 mm., the index being 74; also the transverse 
diameter of a male Goytacazen 119 mm. and the conjugate 89 mm., with an index 75, 
and of a female with an index 86 ; also the mean transverse diameter of two male 
Peruvians 135 mm. and the conjugate 91 mm., with a mean index 67, and three females 
with a mean index 83 ; also a male Bolivian with a transverse diameter 116 mm. and 
a conjugate 105 mm., the index being 90*5. The males measured by Verneau varied 
in the brim index from 67 in the Peruvians to 94 in the Charruan, with a mean on the 
six specimens of 80, The females were much more uniform in the brim index, with a 
mean on the four specimens of 84*5. They presented this peculiarity that the mean 
pelvic index in the female was higher than in the male, and that therefore the transverse 
diameter was not proportionally so much in excess of the conjugate. Carl Martin, from 
1 Although he refers to a male Mexican pelvis in the Museum, yet he does not give its measurements. 
