70 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
has given the mean lumbar index of the twenty-three Andaman Islanders, which he has 
measured as 104 ’8, which was considerably higher than the average of my two specimens. 
Fourteen of his skeletons were males with a mean lumbar index 106 ’3, and nine were 
females with a mean lumbar index 102 ’4. 
In three Negro skeletons I was able to measure the vertical diameter of the bodies of 
the lumbar vertebrae both in front and behind. In each of the three skeletons the 
collective vertical diameter of the five lumbar bodies was slightly greater in front than 
behind ; the maximum difference, however, was only 2 mm. The mean collective depth 
of the five vertebrae in the three Negro skeletons was 121 mm. for the anterior surfaces, 
and 1 1 9 ‘6 mm. for the posterior surfaces; the mean difference, therefore, was 1*4 mm. 
in favour of the anterior surface. In all three skeletons, both the 1st and 2nd lumbars 
were slightly deeper behind than in front ; the 3rd lumbar was equal in depth both 
anteriorly and posteriorly, whilst both the 4tli and 5th lumbars were somewhat deeper 
in front than behind. The mean index in the three skeletons diminished from 108*8 in 
the 1st lumbar to 89 for the 5 th, and the mean general lumbar index of the five vertebrae 
was 99. Dr. Cunningham obtained from the measurements of ten Negros a mean lumbar 
index of 105*4 ; his series of skeletons consisted of seven males with an index of 106, and 
three females of 103*4 ; whilst my skeletons were tw T o females and one male, which may 
perhaps in some measure account for the mean general lumbar index being lower in my 
specimens than in his. 
In a Maori skeleton, from Otago, the vertical diameter of the series of five vertebrae 
was the same both in front and behind, viz., 101 mm. The 1st and 2nd lumbars were 
slightly deeper behind than in front, the 3rd and 4th were equal in depth on both 
surfaces, and the 5th was 3 mm. deeper in front than behind. The general lumbar index 
was 100, and the index of the 5th lumbar vertebra was 85.. 
In each of two female skeletons from Oahu, in the Sandwich Islands, and in the 
spine of a third skeleton, apparently a male, the collective vertical diameter of the five 
lumbar bodies was greater behind than in front ; in one skeleton the difference was 
7 mm., in another 4 mm., in the third 3 mm., in favour of the posterior surface. The 
mean collective depth of the five vertebrae in the three skeletons was 121*6 mm. for the 
anterior, and 126*3 mm. for the posterior, surfaces; the mean difference, therefore, was 
4*7 mm. in favour of the posterior surface. . In both female skeletons the bodies of the 
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lumbars were all deeper behind than in front, whilst the 5th 
lumbar was deeper in front than behind. In the male the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were deeper 
behind than in front, but the 4th and 5th were deeper in front than behind. The mean 
index in the three skeletons diminished from 114*6 in the 1st lumbar to 87*7 in the 5th. 
The mean general lumbar index of the five vertebrae was 104. 
Dr. Cunningham has stated the mean lumbar index of three Tasmanian skeletons to 
be 107*2 ; two of these were males and their mean index was 108*5, whilst the lumbar 
