Chapter XVIII: Munsee Crania: Retromastoid Foramina

-------------------------------+---------------+---------------
| 8 males | 12 females
+-----+---------+-----+---------
|Cases| Per cent|Cases| Per cent
-------------------------------+-----+---------+-----+---------
2, moderate size, each side | 7 | 88 | 5 | 42
2, small to minute, each side | 1 | 12 | 4 | 33
1, moderate size, each side | — | — | 1 | 8
2, small to minute, each side | 1 | 12 | 4 | 33
2, medium, right side; 2 small,| | | |
left side | — | — | 1 | 8
-------------------------------+-----+---------+-----+---------

MASTOIDS

The mastoid processes are mainly of importance as sexual characteristics. Their value in this respect, however, differs considerably from racial group to group, and even within a single stem of people, such as the Indians. On the whole, however, it may be said that in the Indian female the mastoid is somewhat more developed than it is in the average white woman. Occasionally it is considerably more developed, reaching the subaverage or even the average dimensions of that of the males in the same tribe. The grade of development of the process is of course related to the strength and activity of the sternocleido-mastoid muscle, to which it gives attachment. Among the Munsee the size of the mastoids on the whole is only moderate; yet even in this series they rise in one of the female skulls to male-like proportions.