Somatological studies on the tribes living in Nilgiris district of south India were carried out in 1978 and 1980, and the data on 361 persons in total ; the Todas (33 males and 42 females), the Kotas (55 males and 35 females), the Kurumbas (38 males and 42 females) and the Irulas (48 males and 70 females), was collected (Fig. 1).The means with standard errors of the measurements and indices of the head and face for men and women of each tribe are shown in Table 1. The morphologic facial height and the nose height were measured as the distance from the supraorbitale, not the nasion, to the gnathion and the subnasale, respectively. Other measurements applied the methods describing in the textbook of anthropology by MARTIN & SALLER (1956).The somatometric traits of each tribe compared with other tribes were as follows:The Todas-The means of the head and face measurements for the Todas are largest except the bigonial and nose breadth, and in stature also the Todas is tallest; 167.7 cm for males and 153.2 cm for females. Mean cephalic index of the Todas is 72.6 for males and 74.2 for females, having either most dolichocephalic of the four tribes. Mean morphologic facial index is 100.4 for males, and 101.3 for females having either the narrowest type of face. Mean nose index is 58.1 for males and 56.2 for females, having either the narrowest type of nose. Such physical characters of the Todas are quite different from those of the Kurumbas, the Irulas and the Dravidians of South India.The Irulas-The means of the head and face measurements for the Irulas are smallest except the bigonial and nose breadth. The Irulas ranks low with the Kurumbas in stature, 157.0 cm for males and 146.7 cm for females. Mean cephalic index is 75.0 for males and 75.6 for females which ranks either large with those of the Kurumbas. Mean morphologic facial index is 94.9 for males and 91.3 for females which is either broadest, and mean nose index is 66.1 for males and 64.2 for females which is also either broadest. The jugomandibular index for the Irulas, both males and females, is largest. Thus the physical characters of the Irulas show a striking contrast to those of the Todas.The Kurumbas-The physical characters of the Kurumbas are very similar to those of the Irulas. No differences are recognized in the means of the measurements and indices between the Kurumbas and the Irulas ; mean stature is 155.3 cm for males and 146.4 cm for females, mean cephalic index is 75.3 for males and 75.9 for females which is either largest, but is dolichocephalic, mean morphologic facial index is 95.2 for males and 92.2 for females, and mean nose index is 64.0 for males and 64.2 for females. The two tribes, the Kurumbas and the Irulas, seem to be the same racial stock.The Kotas-The means of the measurements and indices for the Kotas are intermediate between those of the Todas and the other two tribes, the Irulas and Kurumbas (Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5), that is, mean stature is 159.4 cm for males and 147.5 cm for females, mean cephalic index is 73.3 for males and 74.4 for females, mean morphologic facial index is 95.8 for males and 94.6 for females, and mean nasal index is 63.3 for males and 61.3 for females. By these physical characters of the Kotas, the Kotas seems to be a half blooded people of some stock of the Todas and the Kurumbas or the Irulas.My thanks to Miss V. Armstrong and other friends, The Nilgiris Adivasi Welfare Association, for their encouragements and helps to these surveys. I wish to express my sincere respect and the deepest regret to the late Dr. S. Narashimhan, who established the Association and dedicated his all life to medical services and relief works for the tribes of Nilgiris, and passed away on 19th December 1978.