Tear duct size differences of age, sex and race

Measurements of the external opening of the tear duct (naso-lachrymal canal) of skulls of American colored males and white males indicate larger apertures among the former at corresponding ages. Duct length is somewhat shorter among colored males. In both racial samples the older skulls have slightly larger apertures than those under 40. A sample of white female skulls corroborates this, and manifests smaller average size than the white male skulls at ages below 50 whereas older skulls reveal no sex difference. The race difference in aperture size among male skulls is highly significant statistically and may reflect ecological adaptation.