The breadth of the face, as measured by the diameter bizygomatic
maximum, stands in a measure in correlation with the breadth of the
head, but as it depends very largely on the degree of development
of the temporal muscles and as a pronounced development of these
muscles, while broadening the zygomatic arches, tends at the same
time to restrict the development of the skull in breadth, there are
many irregularities in this correlation. In our series, Rhode Island,
Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut occupy the lowest positions in
the scale, showing faces that for Indians are decidedly narrow. Among
the Lenape the faces are about medium, and the same is true of the
more westerly Virginians. On Manhattan Island and Staten Island the
face was well above the medium in breadth, but not so on Long Island,
although the somewhat exceptional position of the Long Island Indians
in this respect may be accidental. The Indians of southeastern Canada
and New York State, as well as some of the Virginia Indians, had faces
decidedly broader than the averages of those of the northeastern states
bordering on the Atlantic.
Comparing the average facial breadth with facial height, it is seen
that in most of the tribes noted the two measurements occupy a similar
position in the scale, the narrow faces being also short, and vice
versa; but there are several exceptions.