HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
15 
districts the natives are unfriendly, not to say actively hostile, and any estimates 
of their nundiers are little better than guess woi'k. For what it is worth, however, 
I may state the census estimate for the subdivision lying between latitude 17° and 
13°58, of which the best that can be said is that it is based partly upon information 
derived from station managers, was 7600. 
Of the total native population (2457) estimated as coming, approximately, 
within the limits assigned in this paper to Central South Australia, 872 belong to 
the Alice Springs district which includes the McDonnell Ranges and their outliers, 
and 180 to that of Charlotte Waters lying immediately to the south of the former. 
The sum of these figures comprise the majority but, by no means, all of both the 
Arunta and Luritcha tribes, the deficiency of unenumerated natives being probably 
much greater in the case of the latter tribe on account of its greater remoteness 
from settlements. 
Physical and Personal Features. 
As has already been stated the natives of Central Australia form a homo¬ 
genous group of the well recognised Australian type, the particulars of which need 
not here be specified. 
The most marked feature in their personal appearance, which cannot fail to 
strike the observer, is the decidedly Jewish aspect of many of the adult males. 
This is certainly due in great measure to the pronounced character of the curve of 
the nose, but the effect of that feature is certainly added to by the extensive 
forehead displayed and long full beard—-a combination of characters which 
suggests a patriarchal appearance. The former feature is produced by depilation at 
some period after the initiation ceremonies, and by pressing back the remainder of 
the hair by a band or by one or more head-rings of native string. We noticed these 
features constantly throughout the Horn Expedition, and on a previous journey I 
observed them as far north as Tennant’s Creek, nearly 350 miles north of the 
McDonnell Ranges. Photographs taken on the Elder Exploring Expedition, far 
to the westward, show similar features, and other travellers have called attention 
to the same Jewish aspect. 
The mean height of thirteen male adults at Crown Point, which is chiefly 
plain country, was 5ft. 5|in.; of an equal number at Tempe Downs, 5ft. 6Jin.; 
and of the same number at Alice Springs, 5ft. 5|in., the two latter places being 
situated in the midst of rocky and mountainous districts, which are also better 
supplied with water and game. The mean of these thirty-nine males was 5ft. 5|in. 
