ress an opinion.

In general physique and appearance the Kuni are distinctly and strongly
of the type of the Mafulu, whilst their language is Melanesian; and,
as regards other matters, they in some respects resemble and in other
respects differ from the Mafulu.

As regards physique, Father Egedi distinguishes the Kuni from the
natives of the adjoining coast by their slighter development, slender
limbs and darker colour of skin, in which respects they resemble the
Mafulu; but he regards them as being lower-statured than the tribes
of the interior, which term includes the Mafulu, [118]with greater
regularity of features, and of lighter colour, all of which tallies,
I think, with my own observation of them. But the fact that they are
shorter in stature than the Mafulu, who are themselves shorter than
the coast natives, is perhaps a matter for surprise, if they are
a cross between the two. I have not measured any Kuni heads; but I
should be disposed from general observation to say that they are very
similar to those of the Mafulu, being predominantly mesaticephalic,
with tendencies to brachycephalism. [119]

Many of the Lapeka people, who are Kuni, but are on the borders of
the Upper Mekeo district, seemed to me to have distinctly flattish
faces, with remarkably delicately cut features--some of the women
in particular being exceedingly pretty in profile--and very bright
sparkling eyes. Where these local characteristics came from I cannot
say, as it could hardly be the result of an intermixture of Mekeo
blood. [120]

The oblique eye, which is occasionally found on the coast, [121] but
which I never saw in Mafulu, is, according to Father Egedi, present,
though only rare, among the Kuni. His large amount of opportunity
for observation, and his known care and ability in this respect,
compel me to assume his accuracy; but I can say that I saw a good
many of these eyes among them, and indeed once, having about twenty
of these Kuni people squatting in front of me, I observed that about
half of them had distinctly oblique eyes.

Father Egedi speaks of their hair as being "generally black, rarely
bright, and more rarely chestnut"; and as to this, I would refer to
the fact that the predominating colour of hair among the Mafulu is
dark or darkish brown, so that in this respect the Kuni apparently
tend more to the black-haired coast type of native than do the Mafulu.

Concerning matters other than physique and language, as I onl