| Brunet | Swarthy | Lt. Brn | Med. Brn | Dk. Brn | Black | Total | ||
| No. % | No. % | No. % | No. % | No. % | No. % | |||
| Total sample | 1 .01 | 5 .6 | 30 4 | 400 48 | 377 46 | 0 0 | 813 | |
| Interior | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 55 36 | 97 63 | 0 0 | 153 | |
| East | 0 0 | 3 2 | 12 10 | 99 83 | 6 6 | 0 0 | 120 | |
| Coast | 0 0 | 1 0 | 7 3 | 85 41 | 116 56 | 0 0 | 209 | |
| N.W. | 0 0 | 0 0 | 1 1 | 42 53 | 36 46 | 0 0 | 79 | |
| Fiji II | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 128 96 | 5 4 | 0 0 | 133 | |
| Solomons | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 4 5 | 79 93 | 2 3 | 85 | |
| Tonga | (Range: Lt. Brown to Dk. Brown.) | |||||||
Color of skin includes exposed and unexposed areas. The former was observed on the face, since the Fijians do not use any kind of face or head covering. This condition in the total series divides itself quite evenly between medium brown and dark brown. A few have light-brown skin; only six individuals are classified as swarthy and brunet. None was judged to be completely black. The Fijians of Howells' series are described as 96 per cent medium brown[15] and 5 per cent dark brown, a discrepancy I would attribute to personal judgment difference. The Solomon Islanders are markedly darker than the Fijians, the majority have dark-brown skin and 3 per cent are black, whereas 5 per cent have medium-brown complexions.
Tongan data on skin color cannot be directly adjusted to my statistics. Sullivan's comment on their skin color states that it is "a medium yellowish-brown where it is unexposed to the sun. Exposed parts of the skin of a few of the persons were a very dark chocolate" (Sullivan, 1922, p. 248).
Among the Fijians themselves, the greatest contrasts occur between the eastern and the interior groups of Viti Levu. Where 63 per cent of the latter have dark-brown skin, only 5 per cent of eastern fall into this category. The bulk of eastern (83 per cent) have medium-brown skin as against 36 per cent of hill people. The coastal and northwestern provinces are, like the total series, more evenly divided between medium and dark brown.
Skin Color: Unexposed
| Brunet | Swarthy | Lt. Brn | Med. Brn | Dk. Brn | Black | Total | |
| No. % | No. % | No.% | No.% | No. % | No. % | ||
| Total sample | 6 1 | 9 1 | 242 30 | 545 66 | 11 1 | 0 0 | 813 |
| Interior | 0 0 | 0 0 | 20 13 | 133 87 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 153 |
| East | 3 3 | 4 3 | 77 64 | 36 30 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 120 |
| Coast | 1 1 | 2 1 | 56 27 | 148 71 | 2 1 | 0 0 | 209 |
| N.W. | 0 0 | 1 1 | 20 25 | 57 72 | 1 1 | 0 0 | 79 |
| Fiji II | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 127 96 | 5 4 | 0 0 | 132 |
| Solomons | 0 0 | 0 0 | 0 0 | 9 11 | 74 87 | 2 2 | 85 |
Unexposed skin color was observed on the under surface of the upper arm near the armpit. The anticipated shift in color range results in a reduction of dark-skin incidence to a mere 1 per cent, and an increase in medium brown to 60 per cent and of light brown to 30 per cent.
Howells' describes 96 per cent of his Fijians as medium brown, 4 per cent dark brown, and none light brown. The Solomon Islanders seem definitely darker than the Fijians whether they are compared with Howells' or my series.
The eastern groups continues to contrast with the interior people. The former show a majority of 64 per cent in the light-brown category as compared with 13 per cent among the interior groups; the latter have a medium-brown incidence of 87 per cent against 30 per cent among Lauans.