Pagan races of the Malay Peninsula - Sabrizain.org

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APPENDIX
at that time {ibid. p. 838) Vaughan-Stevens was still of the opinion that the
Sakai (Blandas) were half-breeds, and that all, although in variable proportions,
had Malay blood. But as he maintains the purity of the blood of the Sakai
(Senoi) woman whose skull he obtained in Perak, it may well be that this skull,
though female, exhibits the really pure Sakai (Senoi) type. We shall have to
await further material.^
The characteristic which removes the skull of the Sakai (Senoi) woman
farthest from that of the Semang (Pangan) is \.\\efon>iation of the nose. This latter
is platyrrhine to such an extent that one might be inclined to call it pithekoid.
In my academic treatise on some characteristics of the skull of the lower human
races (Berlin, 1875, p. 1 1 5), I have given a detailed comparison between the
Malay nose and that of the Orang Utan, and have thus clearly demonstrated that
the form called katarrhine is essentially dependent on the small size of the nasal
bones. There can be no question of such katarrhiny in the case of this Sakai
(Senoi) woman, because in her case the nasal bones are comparatively large.
If, in spite of this, the structure of the nose, and especially the contour in profile,
reminds us of the nose of the Malay, and perhaps still more of that of the Negro,
this is attributable to the strongly-marked impression, or rather depression, of
the bridge of the nose, which of course must be connected with a weaker development
of the nasal septum. With this is connected the higher position of the
fronto-nasal suture. That such a formation of the nose is usual among the Sakai
(Blandas) appears to follow from the description, unfortunately not a very detailed
one, which H. Vaughan-Stevens formerly transmitted to us {Verh. 1891, p. 840,
Figs. I and 3). The nose of the Semang (Pangan) skull, on the other hand, is
mesorrhine, and although short and broad, slightly rounded at the bridge ( Verh.
1892, p. 442, illustr.).^
The chief points in which this Sakai skull differs from the former E. Semang
(Pangan) skull {Verh. 1892, p. 438) may be conveniently seen by placing the
index numbers side by side ^
:
Indices.