[From the American Anthropologist for January, 1891.] 
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDIANS OF 
THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST. 
BY FRANZ BOAS. 
During the past summer, when visiting the North Pacific coast, I 
made a series of measurements of 263 Indians. The tribes included 
in this series occupy the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British 
Columbia, and belong to many linguistic stocks. As the series is 
not sufficiently large to allow a separate treatment of the individuals 
of each tribe, I have grouped them together according to their former 
habitat and, to some extent, according to their mode of life, the 
tribes living on reservations being separated from those passing much 
of their time in the canoe. I have distinguished the following 
groups: 
1. Southern Oregon, including principally tribes of Athapaskan 
affinity, but also a few Klamath, Shasta, etc. The northern limit of 
this group is situated at Euchre creek. 
2. Central Oregon, including the tribes between Euchre creek 
and Umpqua river. 
3. Northern Oregon, including the Yakonan and Salish tribes be- 
tween Umpqua and Columbia rivers. 
4. Columbians, including the tribes in the immediate neighbor- 
hood of Columbia river and in the lower Willamette valley. 
5. Tribes of Washington, including the whole coast of Washing- 
ton west of the Cascade Range. 
6. Harrison Lake and Lillooet. 
7. Vancouver Island. 
8. The Bilqula, on the central part of the coast of British Colum- 
bia. 
9. Tribes of British Columbia north of the last-named group. 
Only a short series of measurements of each individual was taken, 
such as could be made by the removal of only a small portion of the 
clothing. Following is a list of the measurements: 26 
THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. 
[Vol. IV. 
1. Stature. 
2. Finger-reach. 
3. Height of ear. 
4. Height of 7th vertebra. 
5. Height of acromion. 
6. Height of point of second 
finger. 
7. Width between acromia. 
8. Height when sitting. 
9. Length of head. 
10. Width of head. 
11. Jugal width of face. 
12. Distance from root of nose to 
chin. 
13. Distance from 'root of nose to 
mouth. 
14. Height of nose. 
15. Width of nose. 
In discussing the series, I have excluded all males of less than 20 
and more than 50 years of age, and all females of less than 19 and 
more than 50 years of age, the former because they have not reached 
the adult stage ; the latter on account of the incipient changes inci- 
dent to old age. It may seem that the lower limits are fixed too low, 
but, as the growth after 19, viz., 20 years, is very slight, the gain in 
accuracy resulting from the average of a greater number of indi- 
viduals far outweighs the slight error that is introduced by the im- 
maturity of a certain number of them. 
On examining the series, it appears that there are very marked 
differences between the various local groups. In order to make these 
differences apparent, a table of those measurements which vary most 
among the different groups is here presented. In addition to the 
average, the table contains the limits between which one-half of the 
series is found-i. e., the probable variation. The last three figures 
in each column are the finger-reach, height when sitting, and length 
of arm, expressed in permills of the stature. Jan. 1891.] 
INDIAN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
27 
Southern 
Oregon. 
Central 
Oregon. 
Northern 
Oregon. 
Columbi- 
ans. 
Washing 
ton. 
Harrison 
Lake. 
Vancou- 
ver Island. 
Bilqula. 
Northern 
tribes. 
Number of observations 
17 
9 
7 
8 
6 
9 
7 
23 
7 
Stature 
1623 ± 24 
1653 ± 45 
1651 ± 33 
1699 ± 53 
1647 ± 45 
1611 ± 37 
1635 ± 42 
1659 ± 44 
1631 ± 18 
Finger-reach 
1693 ± 26 
1719 ± 40 
1734 ± 36 
1792 ± 50 
1721 ± 43 
1696 ± 47 
1758 ± 54 
1771 ± 26 
1710 ± 18 
Height when sitting 
877 ± 13 
914 ± 27 
913 ± 18 
922 ± 26 
899 ± 6 
860 ± 24 
881 ± 12 
890 ± 21 
888 ± 13 
Length of arm 
724 ± 16 
730 ± 21 
729 ± 18 
758 ± 24 
721 ± 7 
723 ± 27 
751 ± 22 
754 ± 17 
737 ± 9 
Cephalic index .. 
83.2 ± 3.1 
82.8 ±1.8 
(82 2 ± 1.4)* 
(83.9±1.8)t 
89.7 ± 2.1 
79.81 
84.1 ± 2.4 
79.5 ± 2 4 
Facial index 
85.3 ± 3.0 
85.4 ± 4.1 
80.3 ± 1.4 
82.1 ± 2.3 
82.7 ± 2.2 
76.0 ± 2.6 
83.8 ± 3.9 
83.8 ± 2.8 
82.8 ± 1.8 
Index of width of upper part of face 
53.2 ± 2.5 
53.4 ± 2.9 
50.5 ± 1.8 
53.1 ± 1.3 
53.5 ± 2.6 
49.2 ± 2.9 
53.8 ± 3.2 
53.4 ± 0.9 
53.5 ± 5.1 
Index of finger-reach 
1043 ± 11 
1040 ± 15 
1050 ± 16 
1055 ± 10 
1056 ± 10 
1053 ± 8 
1071 ± 25 
1069 ±18 
1050 ± 6 
Index of height when sitting 
540 ± 6 
553 ± 8 
553 ± 4 
543 ± 7 
547 ± 12 
534 ± 4 
539 ± 8 
537 ± 7 
548 ± 8 
Index of length of arm 
446 ± 4 
443 ± 10 
441 ± 7 
446 ± 6 
438 ± 6 
450 ± 12 
459 ± 8 
455 ± 8 
452 ± 4 
3 
6 
2 
4 
9 
6 
Stature 
1531 ± 28 
1567 ± 38 
1546 
1552 ± 29 
1522 ± 24 
1568 ± 19 
Finger-reach 
1555 ± 30 
1613 ± 48 
1606 
1602 ± 20 
1568 ± 50 
1655 ± 45 
Height when sitting 
855 
858 ± 13 
832 
876 ± 22 
808 ± 20 
850 ± 23 
Length of arm 
663 ± 30 
691 ± 18 
687 
681 ± 25 
681 ± 22 
718 ± 19 
Cephalic index 
82.7 ± 3.7 
82.2 ± 1.1 
82.4 
78.2 ± 2.4 
87.9 ± 3.8 
Facial index 
83.9 ±2.4 
82.9 ± 2.0 
78.9 ± 3.0 
83.1 ± 3.2 
Index of width of upper part of face 
52.5 
51.9 ± 1.9 
55.5 
.................. 
50.7 ± 1.2 
50.8 ± 3.5 
53.0 ± 2.8 
Index of finger-reach 
1016 ± 23 
1029 ± 12 
1038 
1032 ± 9 
1045 ± 12 
1059 ± 12 
Index of height when sitting 
560 ± 11 
548 ± 8 
539 
564 ± 12 
531 ± 7 
544 ± 5 
Index of length of arm 
433 ± 21 
441 ± 6 
444 
439 ± 15 
449 + 3 
459 ± 8 
* 9 boys and men. 112 boys. 13 observations. 
I. MALES. 
II. FEMALES. 28 
THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. 
[Vol. IV. 
Considering the series as a whole, we may describe the population 
of the North Pacific coast as of average size, ranging, when con- 
sidered in groups, from 1,611 to 1,699 nim., with short heads and 
rather wide faces and large chins. Their skin is of light color, and, 
if protected from sunlight, can hardly be distinguished from that of 
European brunettes. The hair is of a very dark brown, straight or 
slightly wavy. The eye almost always has a well-developed plica 
interna; the eyebrows are wide ; the ears coarse, with small lobes. 
A study of the distribution of the single observations in each group 
of the series shows that the groups may be considered as homogene- 
ous, so that we are justified in forming the averages given in the above 
table. 
Although the series are rather small, a number of conclusions may 
safely be drawn from them. Wherever the series of males and females 
shows analogous variations these can hardly be due to accident, but 
it is fair to assume that similar figures would result from a larger 
series. 
Considering the observation on stature, we are struck by the tall- 
ness of the Columbians and the small size of the tribes of Harrison 
lake. A comparison of the series of males and females proves that 
these averages are trustworthy. When we express the stature of the 
women in per cents, of that of the men, we obtain the following re- 
sults : 
.Southern 
Oregon. 
Central 
Oregon. 
Northern 
Oregon. 
Washing- 
ton. 
Harrison 
Lake. 
Bilqula. 
94-3 
94-8 
93-6 
94-2 
94-5 
94.5 
These figures agree very well with each other, and with those ex- 
pressing the same relation among other races. 
It appears that the stature increases as we approach Columbia 
river from the north and from the south. It is of interest to note 
that the greater size of the natives of this region has been re- 
marked upon by a number of writers.* We find in this region 
Sahaptin tribes, who descended from the interior to the coast; the 
Molalla, part of whom live far inland, and the Chinook, whose ter- 
ritory extends far up Columbia river, so that an intrusion of a taller 
race coming from the east and settling here becomes very likely. 
The proportions of the body and of the head of the Columbians pre- 
sent no very marked divergence from those of the neighboring tribes. 
* Bancroft, Native Races, Vol. I, p. 254. 29 
Jan. 1891.] 
INDIAN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
They are in the habit of deforming their heads; consequently no 
conclusions can be drawn from head measurements. The faces of 
the Columbians are a little wider than those of their neighbors on 
both sides. 
The tribes of Harrison lake, who are remarkable for their short 
stature, differ fundamentally from all others. The great majority of 
individuals belonging to these tribes may easily be recognized by 
their peculiarities. Their heads, although not deformed, are exceed- 
ingly wide; their faces very chamseprosopic. These peculiarities 
may be observed in males as well as in females. 
In Vancouver Island is found a group of tribes which resemble 
closely those of the northern part of the coast of British Columbia. 
They are characterized by a size ranging between that of the tribes 
of northern and those of southern Oregon, and by a much longer 
head than is found anywhere farther south. The index of the three 
individuals of Vancouver Island is 79.9; that of the seven individ- 
uals belonging to northern tribes, 79.5. This interesting fact is con- 
firmed by measurements of skulls from these regions. I published in 
the Verh. der Berliner Ges. f. Ethnol., 1890, p. 30, measurements of 
a series of 10 undeformed crania from the southeastern part of Van- 
couver Island. These give an average index of 77.7. To this may 
be added a skull described by Flower* belonging to the west coast 
of Vancouver Island, which has an index of 77.4. If we allow, ac- 
cording to Broca, 2 per cent, difference between the cranium and 
the head of living individuals, we find that the results of these series 
agree very closely. We have also a series of measurements belong- 
ing to the northern part of the coast of British Columbia. Four 
Tsimshian skulls have been described by me.f Three others have 
been described by Barnard Davis. Still another has been described 
by the same author as a "round head " from Vancouver Island (p. 
229). Finally, I measured a Haida cranium in the Provincial Mu- 
seum of Victoria, B. C. The average of these 9 skulls gives 78.4. It 
will be seen that all these values agree very closely, and confirm the 
results obtained on the living individuals. 
It is very remarkable that we find located between these two ho- 
mogeneous groups a somewhat taller and much more brachycephalic 
* W. H. Flower, Catalogue of the Specimens illustrating the Osteology, etc., in 
the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, p. 148. 
f Report to the B. A. A. S. on the tribes of British Columbia, 1889, p. 16. 30 
THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. 
[Vol. IV. 
people-the Bilqula. Fortunately the series of measurements on this 
tribe is sufficiently large to give the result a high degree of proba- 
bility. North of British Columbia we find the Tlingit, also con- 
siderably taller than the tribes of northern British Columbia, and 
much more short-headed. Unfortunately no satisfactory series of 
measurements of this people is accessible to me. As there is a con- 
stant intercourse between the various tribes of this region, and as the 
conditions of life of all of them are uniform, we must assume that 
these differences are racial characters. Our knowledge of the native 
tribes of the interior of British Columbia is very limited, but we 
may adduce some material from the most southern part of this region. 
Seven skulls from Lytton, B. C., which are in the Museum of the 
Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada, in Ottawa; one 
from the same place, which is in my possession, and two Shushwap 
skulls described by Barnard Davis, give an average cephalic index 
of 78.9. A single Shushwap whom I measured in New Westminster 
has a cephalic index of 82.9, corresponding to about 80.9 on the 
skull. 
On account of the remarkable differences in the cephalic indices 
of these various groups of tribes, it would be of great interest to know 
the natural form of head of the tribes of northern Vancouver Island, 
of the delta of Fraser river, of Puget Sound, and of northern Oregon. 
Unfortunately all of them deform their heads. On Fraser river, on 
Puget Sound, and north of Columbia river this custom is, however, 
dying out, and I was able to measure a series of children. Twelve 
boys from Puget Sound give an average of 83.9, with a probable 
variation of 1.8; thirteen from Fraser river give an average of 87.3, 
with a probable variation of 2.0. Although the results obtained by 
measuring boys are not identical with those obtained by measuring 
adults, the difference is probably not very great. At least the results 
of the measurement of the cephalic indices of 13 boys from southern 
Oregon are almost identical with the results obtained from the meas- 
urement of 17 adults. According to these figures, thelndians of Puget 
Sound would have to be grouped in close connection with those of 
central Oregon; those of Fraser river with the tribes of Harrison 
lake. The Bilqula resemble the tribes of Puget Sound and of north- 
ern and central Oregon. 
It appears, therefore, that there is a comparatively uniform, meso- 
cephalic population on Vancouver Island and on the coast of Brit- 
ish Columbia, with the exception of Fraser river and Bentinck Arm. Jan. 1891.] 
INDIAN PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
31 
The latter are at the same time the regions where intermarriage with 
the Athapaskan tribes of the interior has been frequent. We know that 
the Bilqula have intermarried very extensively with the Carriers and 
Chilcotin; the Lillooet with the latter. Therefore it would appear that 
brachycephalism becomes more frequent in those regions where inter- 
mixture with Athapaskans makes itself felt. In order to strengthen or 
to refute this theory, it would be necessary to obtain measurements of 
the Sishiatl, of Jervis Inlet, and of the upper Tsimshian, both of whom 
are in close contact with Athapaskans. The Tlingit, of Alaska, who 
are immediate neighbors of Athapaskan tribes, are also more brachy- 
cephalic than the tribes of the coast of British Columbia, and their 
stature seems to be higher. There can be little doubt that among 
the Athapaskans on the whole brachycephalism is very frequent. 
Quatrefages and Hamy* mention seven skulls from various Atha- 
paskan tribes of Canada, and find them to be brachycephalic. The 
proportions of their faces, also, closely resemble those of the Bilqula 
and the other tribes discussed in the present paper. I had occasion 
to question a number of former officers of the Hudson Bay Company 
regarding the general appearance of the Athapaskans of the interior 
of British Columbia and of the Mackenzie Basin. According to 
their descriptions, the Athapaskans resemble the tribes of the north- 
west coast much more closely than the Algonquin. For these reasons, 
as well as on account of the form of their language and a number of 
customs and beliefs, I am inclined to class the Athapaskans as one 
of the peoples of the north Pacific coast. A good series of measure- 
ments from the Mackenzie Basin would decide this question. The 
almost complete absence of Dolichocephali-at least, according to 
the present state of our knowledge-distinguishes them most clearly 
from the eastern group-the Algonquin and Iroquois-as well as from 
the central and eastern Eskimo. 
The divergence of the tribes of Harrison lake from all their neigh- 
bors is very curious, more especially the high degree of brachy- 
cephalism and of chamseprosopy. The width of both head and face is 
much greater than is found in any other tribe. Their small stature 
is also quite unique. If I should include three men of about 55 
years in the series, the average would be less than 1,600 mm. I may 
mention here that three tibiae and femora which I collected at Lyt- 
ton with the mesocephalic skulls mentioned above are very small. 
* Crania ethnica, p. 470. 32 
THE AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST. 
[Vol. IV. 
Assuming the tibia to be about 22 per cent., the femur 27 per cent, 
of the stature, the three individuals would have measured about 1,430, 
1,500, and 1,560 mm., thus corresponding in size to the females of 
, the Harrison lake series. This, however, is, of course, a very un- 
satisfactory comparison. 
We will finally consider the proportions of the bodies of the vari- 
ous groups. It appears that the finger-reach of the southern tribes, 
especially of those of southern and central Oregon, is much smaller 
than that of the northern tribes. I am inclined to attribute this to 
a difference in occupation, the two first-named groups living on res- 
ervations, while the others are fishermen. Hand in hand with this 
lengthening of the finger-reach seems to go an increase in the length 
of the arm. These variations may be seen in males as well as in 
females. The latter also pass much of their time in the canoe. The 
table shows that the trunk of these Indians is much longer than that 
of Europeans, and also longer than that of the Iroquois, which, ac- 
cording to Gould, is 53.4 per cent. It seems that the trunk of the 
southern groups is longer than that of the northern ones. 
It is of the greatest interest to observe that upon studying the 
physical characters of the tribes of the Pacific coast in detail such a 
variety of forms is found. Each tribe appears composed of many 
types, but in each we find a marked prevalence of a certain type. 
Unfortunately we have hardly any detailed studies on the physical 
characters of living Indians, and yet these studies are just as impor- 
tant as those on languages, customs, and beliefs. The disappearance 
of tribes, their intermixture with each other, and with whites, the 
changes in their mode of life, are so rapid that little time remains 
for studies of this character.