41 capacity. No correlation was seen. The explana- tion for the higher B,, levels is not apparentat this time. Studies of Genetically Inherited Traits Blood Groups. The laboratory analysis of blood groups was conducted by Dr. L.N. Sussman and colleagues and reportedas follows. The results of the 1958 and 1959 studies were combined, making a total of 310 individual bloods. Care was taken to avoid duplication. The results of this broader sampling, comparedto findings of Simmonset al. for the same area*® and for the Polynesians’® are presented in Tables 27, 28, and 29. Data on all individuals tested are given in Appendix 6. The findings may be summarized as follows. " 1. ABO system, The high frequency of the B gene is again demonstrated, in contrast to the absence of B genes in the Polynesians. The absence of A, genein this area has been noted repeatedly.*® In the presentseries a single individual of group A.B was confirmed. The x° value in this system is 5.18 (p=0.15). The excess of AB persons (expected 8, observed 14) contributes the major part of the x’ deviation. 2. MN system. The extremely low frequency of M gene has been noted in manystudies of this population andarea,in contrastto its high frequency in Polynesians. The x’ value in this system is 23.7 (£=0.001), whichis statistically invalid. The error lies in the finding of 25 M persons whereas only 11.6 could be expected. Thus it appears that the N gene in the heterozygote escapes detection.If to the Amerindians, Mongolians, and Eskimos,** among whom some Diego positive people are found. The following blood group characteristics of 310 Marshallese represent significant differences from those of their eastern neighbors (Polynesians) and suggest a relationship with Southeast Asians and Indonesians. 1. A relatively high B gene frequency. 2. A high N gene frequency. 3. Extremely high R'‘ gene frequency. 4, Total absence of Kell and Diegofactors. Haptoglobins and Transferrins. 124 individuals in which the families included, at most, parents and one child. Thedistribution of the haptoglobin types in this group did not differ significantly from that in the total group. In each case, agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg predictions was good, suggesting that the population was homogeneousfor this trait. Omitting the two sera with no haptoglobins, the frequencyof the Hp' geneis 0.58 and ofthe Hp? gene 0.42. The frequency of the Hp' geneis higher thanin the West European populationsso fartested. Four Rongelapese had no detectable haptoglobin either in 1957 or 1959. In addition, in manysera only very small amounts of haptoglobin this were corrected for, the result would be an even greater frequency of N gene. 3. Rh-Hr system. The marked frequency of the R' gene is again demonstrated, higher than reported in any other study. Thefailure to demonstrate any Table 29 Rh-Hr Frequency Among Marshallese and Polynesians Marshallese rh negative persons suggests that the probable genotype of the heterozygous Rh, people is R'R°. This is further supported bythe finding of two persons of phenotype Rh,. The x’ value in this system is 13.7. Again thestatistical value is diminished because 2 Rh, people were found whereas 0.26 were expected. It can be seen that a major change in x” value can be causedbya single individualof “unusual” grouping. 4. Other systems. The failure to find in this group of 310 a single person with a Diego or Kell factor is noteworthy. The Marshallese, Maoris,?! and Polynesiansare similarin this respect, in contrast The distribu- tion of the haptoglobin types in the 176 Rongelapese tested is shown in Table 30, Data on all individuals tested may be found in Appendix 6. This sample included some families with two or more offspring; in these, all siblings but one wereremoved by random selection to give a sample of Present report Phenotype percent Rh,Rh, 90.9 Rh,rh 4.2 Rh, Rh, 3.9 Rh, 0.3 Rh, 0.6 Genefrequency R} R? R° 0.950 .020 030 Simmons et al.”* ° Polynesian Simmons and Graydon*® 90.6 0.7 8.0 0.3 0.12 0.951 04 .006 19.6 0.7 50.0 29.7 _ 0.449 943 007