Summary of Measurements and Observations
on Parts of the Munsee Skeleton other than the Skull.
The bones of the Munsee skeleton agree closely, in a general way, with those of other Eastern Indians. Contrasted with those of whites they present many close resemblances, but also certain marked differences, one of which being that they are less stout.
Humerus.—The mean length of the humerus is in no way exceptional. In the female this bone is relatively long. The right and left humeri are of the same length in males, but the left is slightly shorter than the right in females. The shaft is flatter than in whites, in consequence of which the shaft index is lower. The breadth or antero-posterior diameter of the shaft of the right bone is greater than that of the left, while the thickness is practically the same. The shape of the shaft is frequently plano-convex (juvenile). Perforation of the septum exists in 22 per cent of the males and in 59 per cent of the females. Of the supracondyloid process there are only slight traces.
Radius.—The radius is decidedly long in the Munsee in relation to the humerus in both sexes, the result of which is a high radio-humeral index. The right and left radii are of equal length in males, but, as with the humerus, the left radius averages slightly shorter in the females.
Ulna.—The ulna presents nothing exceptional; it is shorter on the right in females, as in the case of the radius.
Femur.—The form of the femur is generally ordinary. The length corresponds to the average stature of 167 cm. in males and 156 cm. in females.
The excess of maximum over bicondylar length is greater than in whites, indicating greater obliquity of axis. The relation in length of the female femur to that of the male is very nearly the same as in whites; and the same applies to the relation of the femoral to humeral length.
At the middle of its shaft the femur is slightly broader on the right side than on the left, in consequence of which the shaft index is higher on the left. This index is decidedly smaller in both sexes of the Munsee than in whites, owing to the lesser breadth of the shaft in the Indian.
The subtrochanteric flattening is quite pronounced, giving a platymeric index considerably below that of the whites, but agreeing with that in other Indians. The index is lower on the left side than on the right, and slightly higher in females than in males.
The shape of the shaft is most frequently the ordinary prismatic. The elliptic type is rare. Cylindrical and four-surface types are absent.
The third trochanter in some form and degree exists in more than two-thirds of the bones, but is rarely pronounced.
Tibia.—The female Munsee tibia is not only absolutely but also relatively shorter than that of males; nevertheless, in both sexes the bone is relatively longer than in whites, in consequence of which the tibio-femoral index is high.
Platycnemy is infrequent; in the females the shaft is stout in many instances. In the shape of the shaft there is a frequency of the four-surface type.
Fibula.—The shape of the fibula is most frequently lateral prismatic or fluted.
Clavicles.—The clavicle in the female is relatively short. The right clavicle is slightly longer than the left in the males, shorter in the females.
Sternum.—The manubrium is generally detached; the bone is of moderate dimensions; frequent minor asymmetries; rib facets irregular in number. Curvature and measurements moderate; sternum of female relatively shorter.
Scapula.—The scapula is smaller than that of ordinary whites, especially in height. Scapular index high, showing the bone to be relatively broad, particularly in the females. Infra-spinous index also high, even by comparison with that in other Indians.
The shape of the body is mostly quadrilateral or pentagonal. The superior border is frequently semilunar. The scapular notch in the males is often deep or converted into a foramen.
Ribs.—The ribs show remarkable freedom from fractures. Cervical rib present in one instance, 22 ribs only in another. In three-fourths of the cases the first ribs are semilunar in form.
Spine.—The spine is of moderate regular development. There are several numerical and structural anomalies.
Sacrum.—The dimensions of the sacrum are close to those of white males, but the female Munsee sacrum is shorter. The sacral index is not far from that in whites.
The sacrum shows the presence of six segments in one-fifth of the cases. The curvature is moderate to medium, and begins rather frequently below the first segment.
Pelvis.—Innominate bones absolutely smaller but relatively broader in females than in males. Breadth-height index lower than in whites. The pelvis as a rule is free from deformation. Male pelvis larger and relatively higher than the female, giving higher height-breadth index. Pelvic cavity in no case abnormal, but differs considerably in measurements; in general it is relatively deep at the brim, as a result of which it gives a high brim index.
Short and other bones: Patellæ.—The patella averages somewhat smaller in size than in whites. Male bone larger than female, but no difference in either sex on the two sides. The male Munsee patella is relatively somewhat shorter than that of the whites. Frequency of vastus notch.
Bones of hand.—Very free from anomalies. Moderate dimensions throughout. Metacarpo-humeral index lower than in whites, indicating relatively small hand.
Bones of feet.—First metatarsal shorter, both absolutely and relatively to the femoral length, than in whites, indicating relatively smaller feet.
Os calcis.—Bones of the two sides almost equal in size; very slight excess on right. Male bone relatively stouter than female, giving higher breadth-length and breadth-height indexes. The bone is smaller in all dimensions than that in ordinary whites of similar stature. The female os calcis is shorter and lower, but as slender as that of the whites.
The numerical variation of the facets for the astragalus is much the same as in whites, but in the latter the anterior and middle facets are much more frequently wide apart.
Astragalus.—Smaller in all dimensions than in whites. Equal on the two sides in males, but slightly higher on the left than on the right in the females. This bone is not only absolutely but relatively shorter and lower than that among the whites.
The facets for the os calcis do not harmonize fully with those on the os calcis itself, being less differentiated and more frequently connected or fused.
Scaphoid.—The scaphoid is smaller than in whites, also relatively less stout and frequently relatively less high than in the whites. The right scaphoid is larger than the left.
Cuboid facets are less common than among whites, and the facet for the astragalus differs markedly in shape from that of the white scaphoid. There are likewise differences in tuberosity and in processus plantaris.
Cuboid.—The cuboid is smaller than in whites; differences in the relative proportions are irregular. The right and the left bone are about equal.
Racial differences exist in cuneiforms and talus facets.
Internal cuneiform.—Smaller than in whites, also relatively lower. The female bone is relatively narrower than the male; there are some differences as to side.
Relative frequency of double metatarsal facet.
Middle cuneiform.—The depression in the medial surface and also the canal running from this are more pronounced in both sexes than in whites.