A NOTE ON ANTHROPOMETRY 
11 
Punjabis’ heads again run from 67 to 80. These racial differ- 
ences in head shape have been shown, by examination of 
skeletons, to persist over centuries. The co-ordination of 
the measurements of various physical features has made 
possible an ethnographic map of the world. In this map there 
are areas where the outlines depend on abundantly proved 
facts. In many Continental countries part of the work of the 
doctor who examines conscripts is for the ethnographic survey. 
Similar work is often done among children in schools. In 
Europe ethnographers have the help, too, of a long history 
to explain the results of anthropometry. The existence, for 
instance, of a fair-haired, tall, long-headed element in the 
population of North Italy is explained by the .Lombard 
invasion and settlement. 
But in most of Africa such an anomaly would be at the best 
a subject for guess work. The ethnographic map of Africa 
has uncertain outlines, often even large unexplored areas. 
What history the continent has is of constant migrations, 
conquests, absorptions, dispersions. Few tribes in East 
Africa lived a hundred and fifty years ago where they live 
now. Many, as the Kikuyu, the Taita, the Kavirondo, the 
Suk, are recent amalgamations. All this confusion, and the 
absence of any reliable history except of recent generations, 
means that in Africa anthropometry is almost the sole means 
of determining race. 
A few hints may be of service to men who may wish to 
take anthropometric data. The only instruments necessary 
are a pair of callipers which can be got for two guineas through 
the Secretary of the Anthropological Section of the British 
Museum, and a notched pole for measuring heights. Measure- 
ments are best made on the metric system. The most important 
datum is the cranial index. The next two in importance are 
stature and the nasal index, taken in the same way as the 
cranial, i.e. breadth across nostrils divided by length from 
the tip to the wrinkle at the root. Other data of importance 
are the shape of the individual hair and the depth of cutaneous 
pigmentation. But the first of these needs a microscope and 
the second is not easy to determine accurately. It is most 
important to know that a few measurements taken from 
