[Reprinted from Science, N. S., Vol. IV., No. 80, July 10, 1896.'] 
SCIENCE 
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Daniel G. Brjnton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology ; 
G. Brown Goode, Scientific Organization. 
THE FORM OF THE HEAD AS INFLUENCED BY 
ment of only 16 skulls of children, and conse- 
GROWTH. 
quently no weight can be attached to it. 
To the Editor of Science : I was much 
interested in Dr. W. Z. Ripley’s contribution 
on the question of the growth of the head 
which appeared in the issue of June 19th, of 
Science. The author’s observation that the 
cephalic index of Americans decreases with in- 
creasing age is certainly correct, but I think the 
contrary observations of European investiga- 
tors admit of an interpretation different from 
the one given by Dr. Ripley, who is inclined to 
believe that in long-headed races the index de- 
creases with increasing age, while in short- 
headed races it increases with increasing age. 
The European material seems to me hardly ade- 
quate to form a far-reaching conclusion of this 
kind. 
Mies to whom Dr. "Ripley refers does not 
make—so far as I can make out—any statement 
in regard to the question at issue in the pas- 
sage quoted (ibid. XX. 1890, p. 39 ff.). 
The statistics of Dr. Livi which were pub- 
lished in the Archivio per V antropologia e la etnol- 
ogia, 1886, p. 235, are based on observations by 
Calori, Brennsohn, Waldhauer, Wseber and 
Broca; but they are classified in two groups: 
of more and of less than 33 years of age, and 
can therefore not be utilized for treating the 
question of the influence of growth upon the 
form of the head, as they are rather directed 
to detecting retrogressive changes which be- 
gin after the 35th year of life. 
While these European data are open to serious 
Zuckerkandl based his conclusions that 
children have more elongated heads than adults 
on measurements of 156 children and 197 adults 
from the interior parts of Austria. But in 
selecting these individuals he excluded what he 
calls the Slavic type, including only the elon- 
objections, we find in America that with few ex- 
ceptions long-headed tribes as well as short- 
headed ones, show a decrease in the value of 
the cephalic index with increasing age. I have 
compiled the following table in order to make 
this point clear ; 
gated heads which he ascribes to the Teutonic 
, rr,,. , ~ , , X 1 
type. This arbitrary selection makes the 
Cephalic Index of 
Tribe. Adults. 
Children. 
Difference. 
Micmac 79.0 (136) 
Eastern 
80.9 ( 84) 
+ 1.9 
Ojibwa... 81.8 (396) 
81.6 (309) 
— 
0.2 
Cherokee... 82.0 (140) 
British Co- 
81.0 ( 75) 
1.0 
lumbia... 83.6 (284) 
85.3 (138) 
+ 1.7 
Moqui 84.0 (116) 
86.4 ( 77) 
+ 2.4 
Navajo 84.2 ( 77) 
86.8 ( 76) 
+ 2.6 
results of his comparison of doubtful value for 
a treatment of the question of growth; Zucker- 
kandl discusses this point at length and points 
out that his statistics must not be considered 
final. (Mitt, der Anthrop. Ges. in Wien XIY. 
1884, p. 127.) 
Holl has based his statement on the measure- SCIENCE. 
The cause for this decrease is not far to seek. 
With maturity the frontal sinuses and the occip- 
ital protuberance begin to grow, particularly 
in males, while there is no corresponding local 
growth on the parietal or temporal bones. This 
has the effect that the length grows more rapidly 
than the breadth and that the index begins to 
decrease. The lesser development of the frontal 
sinuses and of the occipital protuberance in 
women is also a sufficient explanation for their 
greater brachycephalism. 
Year. 
Length of Head. Breadth of Head. Index. 
Inches. Inches. 
Individuals. 
19 
7.54 
5.87 
77.9 
139 
20 
7.57 
5.93 
78.3 
305 
21 
7.58 
5.93 
78.2 
248 
22 
7.63 
5.98 
78.4 
189 
23 
7.54 
5.97 
79.2 
83 
24 
7.71 
6.03 
78.2 
52 
+25 
7.62 
6.00 
78.7 
79 
But the growth of the head does not close 
with the twenty-fifth year. The following 
table shows that among the Indians it con- 
tinues to grow until near the thirtieth year, 
and the period will certainly not be found 
shorter among people of European descent, 
while it may be shorter among the negroes ; 
Nevertheless, I believe that the breadth of 
the head increases as long as the length, al- 
though at a slower rate, and that Dr. Ripley 
would have obtained this result if his series had 
been more extensive. I cannot find that Schaaf- 
hausen, who held this opinion, has substanti- 
ated it by any extensive series of observations. 
The best series that is available is that of Dr. 
Venn {Jour. Anthrop. Institute. XVIII., p. 152, 
ff.) which when arranged from this point of 
view gives the following results : 
Years. 
Length of Head 
90-9.1 
22-23 
24 25 
26 27 
28-29 
30 and more 
193.7 “ 
193.8 “ 
194.3 “ 
194.8 “ 
194.8 “ 
Franz Boas. 
New York.