3 
have greatly diminished in numbers. In addition to tuberculosis, which 
is ever present, epidemics of influenza and of measles have carried them 
off in large numbers. As a result, members of the dwindling bands are 
becoming more and more closely inbred. Two old men, for example, 
have for their present wives their own granddaughters. There are cases 
of brothers marrying their own sisters. Polygamy is still practised, or 
it should be said that if an Indian is a sufficiently good hunter to support 
two or more wives, he often does so. One Beaver has been married to 
three sisters. Nowadays there is seldom a marriage ceremony; in many 
cases there is not even a “tea dance”. Cross cousin marriage is said not 
to obtain. A number of Beavers at Hudson Hope could understand a very 
little English and some could speak it slightly. Many of those at Fort 
St. John and Dunvegan could speak or understand some Cree or English. 
From what was learned locally it would appear then, that the Beaver 
Indians have rapidly dwindled in numbers within recent years, that they 
are relatively pure, and that they are much inbred. 
Methods 
Identically the same instruments were used by the author this year as 
in the preceding two years, and identically the same methods were em- 
ployed. All figures and all calculations have been checked. The same 
means of collecting and examining specimens of blood for grouping purposes 
were adopted this year as last. The details of these are specified in the 
previous reports. The methods followed by Jenness, in his examination 
of the Sekani and Carrier Indians, were such as are suggested by Sullivan’s 
“Essentials of Anthropometry”. 1 The instruments used by Jenness and by 
the author were standard field sets made by Hermann of Zurich. 
Ages 
The ages recorded are those given by the individuals themselves. 
In the case of the older persons they are unlikely to be more than approxi- 
mately accurate; but the younger persons seemed to be able to arrive at 
their ages quite readily. 
Stock 
Each individual was asked by the interpreter as to the origin of his 
two parents; and it is almost entirely on this evidence that the grouping 
as shown in Tables I and IX is based. 
Abbreviations in the Text 
The numbers in brackets are the serial numbers of the individuals 
referred to. Full details concerning them are to be found in the appropriate 
appendices. 
P.E. diff. =the probable error of the difference. 
Diff. =the numerical difference between two measurements. 
Abbreviations in the Frequency Distribution Tables 
a = standard deviation 
E m = probable error of the mean 
V = coefficient of variation 
N = number of cases examined 
'Am. Mus. of Nat. Hist., New York, 1923. 
