The Solomon Islands and Their Natives Part 9

The range of the eighteen measurements given in the subjoined table is 31 to 37 inches: and since half of these are included between 34 and 35 inches, we may consider these as the limits of the average chest-girth of the natives in the portions of the group in which the measurements were made, viz., the islands of Bougainville Straits and St. Christoval, with its adjoining islands.

Girth in Number of Stature taken inches. Measurements. as 100.

50...1 31 to 32 1 52-53...3 32 to 33 3 53-54...7 33 to 34 3 54-55...3 34 to 35 9 55-56...2 35 to 36 0 56-57...1 36 to 37 2 572 ...1 -- -- Total, 18 Total, 18

Taking the average height (5 feet 4 inches) as 100, the proportion, which a chest girth of 34 inches would bear, would be 539. This very closely corresponds with the values of the median of the accompanying series, which itself agrees with the value of the average of the indices. This index of chest-girth may be compared with results given by Topinard:

Englishmen, 540 Negroes, 523 New Zealanders, 514 Solomon Islanders, 539

WEIGHT OF BODY.[94]

[94] Mr. Evered, s.h.i.+ps-steward a.s.sistant, obtained these weights for me.

Twelve natives of the Shortland Islands were taken promiscuously and weighed, the following being the results, stated in pounds:--100, 103, 116, 117, 120, 120, 123, 130, 148, 148, 150, 154. The mean of these numbers is 127; and the average weight would probably vary between 125 and 130 pounds, or between 57 and 59 kilogrammes. This probable average weight is quite in accordance with the size and build of a typical Solomon Island native; and agrees with the general rule that the weight in pounds ought to be about twice the height in inches; the average height being 64 inches, and the average weight 125 to 130 lbs.

LENGTH OF LIMBS.

The points of measurement employed were:--

(_a_) _For the upper extremity_: (1) a point half an inch outside, and on the level with the apex of the coracoid process of the scapula; (2) the centre of the hollow of the elbow on a line drawn from the inters.p.a.ce between the head of the radius and the external condyle of the humerus (indicated by a dimple when the fore-arm is extended) to immediately below the internal condyle; (3) the centre of a line joining the apices of the styloid processes of the radius and ulna on the front of the wrist.

(_b_) _For the lower extremity_: (1) a point on the middle of the front of the thigh on a level with another point midway between the anterior superior spinous process of the ilium and the upper edge of the great trochanter; (2) a point on the "ligamentum patellae" on a level with the upper edge of the external tuberosity of the tibia; (3) the centre of the front of the ankle on a level with the base of the internal malleolus.

(1) _The intermembral index_, or the ratio between the length of the upper and lower limbs, taking the latter as 100. From the table subjoined, it will be seen that the range of 26 indices is 64 to 73. Eleven of these lie between 67 and 68: and since the average of my numbers, which is 68, corresponds with the value of the median of the series, we will take this index of 68 as representing the average ratio of the lengths of the two limbs compared together.

Intermembral Number of index. measurements.

64 1 65 2 66 3 67 6 68 5 69 3 70 1 71 3 72 1 73 1 -- Total, 26

(2) _The index of the fore-arm and arm_, or the ratio between the lengths of the fore-arm and arm, taking the latter as 100. The range of 27 indices is 79 to 100. Of these 16 are included between 87 and 91; and the average of the numbers is 88.

Indices. Number of Measurements.

79 1 80 1 82 2 83 2 84 1 86 1 87 6 88 2 89 1 91 7 95 1 100 2 -- Total, 27

(3) _The index of the leg and thigh_, or the ratio between the lengths of the leg and thigh, taking the latter as 100. The range of 27 indices, as shown in the subjoined table, is 68 to 97. Of these, two-thirds are included between 74 and 83: and since the value of the median, which is 80, corresponds nearly with the average of the numbers, we may take it as representing the average proportion which the leg bears to the thigh amongst these natives.

Indices. Number of Measurements.

68 1 69 1 70 1 72 1 73 1 74 2 75 2 78 1 79 1 80 3 81 2 82 2 83 4 88 3 92 1 97 1 -- Total, 27

(4) _The index of the arm and thigh_, or the ratio between the lengths of the arm and thigh, taking the latter as 100. The range of 27 indices is 56 to 73. Of these, three-fourths are grouped between 61 and 69. The average of the figures is 65, and the median of the series is 66.

Indices. Number of Measurements.

56 1 57 1 60 1 61 2 62 2 63 3 64 2 65 1 66 3 67 4 69 3 70 1 71 1 73 2 -- Total, 27

(5) _The proportion of the length of the upper limb to the height of the body_, taking the latter as 100.

Indices. Number of Measurements.

32 1 32-33 10 33-34 10 34-35 4 35-36 2 -- Total, 27

These 27 indices range between 32 and 36: three-fourths of them are included between 32 and 34. Since the average of the numbers, which is 333, nearly corresponds with the value of the median, we may take it as representing the proportion which the length of the upper limb bears to the height of the body amongst these natives.

(6) _The proportion of the length of the lower limb to the height of the body_, taking the latter as 100. The range of these 27 indices is 469 to 516. Two-thirds of the total number are included between 48 and 50; and since the average of the numbers, which is 491, corresponds nearly with the value of the middle index of the series, we may take it as representing the proportion that the lower limb usually bears to the height of the body amongst these natives.

Indices. Number of Measurements.

469 1 47-48 4 48-49 8 49-50 10 50-51 3 516 1 -- Total, 27

(7) _The span of the outstretched arms._--The following indices--69 in all--show the ratio of the span of the arms to the height of the body, taking the latter as 100:--

Indices. Number of Measurements.

100 1 101-102 4 102-103 2 103-104 4 104-105 5 105-106 5 106-107 18 107-108 11 108-109 6 109-110 9 110-111 3 1126 1 -- Total, 69

The range of these indices is 100 to 1126; and the indices of greatest frequency are those included between 106 and 107. Placing all the indices in their order, I find that the value of the central of the series is 1067, and of the quarter-points 1052 and 1086 respectively. Taking 1067 as representing the average proportion which the span of the arms bears to the stature amongst these natives, I may compare it with similar results given for other races in Topinard's Anthropology:--

American soldiers (10,876), 1043 Solomon Islanders (69), 1067 Negroes (2020), 1081

(8) _Distance of the tip of the middle finger from the upper edge of the patella._

Distance. Number of Measurements.

2 inches. 2 2 to 3 6 3 to 4 11 (9 of these at 3 inches).

4 to 5 2 -- Total, 21

From this table it will be seen that amongst 21 natives the tip of the finger never approached the patella nearer than two inches, and was never farther removed than five inches. The value of greatest frequency is 3 inches, and it may be taken as approximating to the average distance. Comparing it with the average stature (64 inches) taken as 100, we obtain the index 546; but by comparing the distance of the middle finger above the patella with the stature as 100 in each individual measurement, we obtain a more reliable average index somewhat smaller than the preceding.

Indices. Number.

312-400 4 400-500 5 500-600 9 600-700 1 700-794 2 -- Total, 21

In this table the indices range between 312 and 794: nearly half are included between 500 and 600; the value of the median is 524, and the average of the numbers is 519. Accepting the value of the median as our average index for these natives, it may be compared with similar results for other races given in Topinard's Anthropology:

American soldiers (10,876), 749 Negroes (2020), 437 Solomon Islanders (21), 524

I will conclude my remarks on the length of the limbs by giving from the preceding "data" the limb measurements of a Solomon Island native of average height:

Height of body, 64 in. } Index of height, and } length of upper limb, { Length of upper limb, 21? } 333.

{ } { Length of arm, 11? } Intermembral { } Index of arm and { Length of fore-arm, 10 } fore-arm, 88.

index, 68. { } { Length of lower limb 31? } Index of height, and { } length of lower limb, { } 49.

Length of thigh 17? } Index of thigh and } leg, 80.