Volume 14 Australasia - dana ward's homepage

NOETH MELA^^ESIA. 325Maklaj' to the surprise of most ethnologists, who regarded the dolichocephalicor long shape of the head as specially characteristic of this Oceanic group.A large number of Melanesians, especially in the Admiralty Islands, havelong teeth projecting beyond the mouth, a featiire which imparts to the physiognomya somewhat ferocious and even bestial expression. But this feature isless conspicuous amongst the men, whose teeth are covered with a dark varnishfrom the habit of betel-chewing, than amongst the women and children, whoseteeth are white. Some natives, especially of New Britain, are also met, the toesof whose feet are all connected together by a common membrane.*Ulcers underthe soles are veiy general, and in the Solomon Archipelago at least two-fifths ofFig. 139.—SiN Ceistobax.Scale 1 : 1,700,000.East ofiGreenvDepths.250 Fathomsand upwards.the inhabitants are afflicted with large .sores caused by a parasite [tinea circinafatropica) ; in some islands nearly the whole population has to entertain thesetroublesome guest.s.Skin diseases, also, are not less prevalent than amongst the Caroline islanders,while the baneful habit of eating argillaceous clay is common in the Admiraltj'group. Most of the old people are carried off by pulmonary affections, and whenthe mortality becomes excessive in a village, the inhabitants migrate to some otherplace declared by the magicians to be more propitious. As a rule the JMelanesiansare less affected than the Polynesians hy the morbid influences caused by contactwith the whites ; but on the other hand certain islands arc being gradualljdepopulatedby the universal practice of infanticide. In Ugi, oft' the east coast of• Romilly, The JVcstcni Pacific and New Guinea.