In October 1967, shortly after he had made his
original sketches of the Hill occupants, David Baker wrote Betty and
Barney Hill to explain why he had depicted the features of the faces
the way he did. The following are his comments, published here for the
first time, as taken from that letter.
With my knowledge of anatomy I am
endeavoring to put your detailed facial descriptions into a possible
anatomical arrangement following known laws of bone structure.
1. Eyes, slanted, rounding sides of face
indicating peripheral vision. Anatomy for such eyes would indicate bone
structure to protect such enlarged eyeballs, also would extend cheek
bones around curve of front facial plane, giving a look to eyes of not
so much oriental as like a cat's eyes.
2. Wide cheeked, weak chinned, Mongoloid
suggestion to face. Such extended cheek bones could minimize nose,
mouth and chin area of face by association or contrast.
3. Large head. If the head cavity held such
enlarged eyeballs, a space for a more normal sized brain area could be
gained by an enlargement of back or top of head, giving a larger than
normal appearing skull area.
4. Immobility of mouth muscle control could
give an impression of not registering usual emotions of sadness or joy.
You noted, I recall, with great concern, the simulated effort we
demonstrated of mouth immobility by pulling a tight silk stocking over
face. Lips were pressed close to teeth line, neutralizing all usual lip
fullness and character. In fact, the stocking trick gave Mongoloid
expression to all bound features.
5. Membrane over mouth-opening when it was
opened slightly with no spoken words heard only grunts. Is it possible
a membrane, for protective or other reasons, restricted all normal face
movements or even sheathed body of entity?
6. Nostrils prominent and heavy breathing
noticed, also lack of nose cartilage. Even a tight mask could not hide
but could minimize nose cartilage, but could press back tip of nose and
expose nostrils. No membrane over nostrils was noted so assume
breathing was all done there. Breathing could become labored if mouth
aperture was sealed from outside air.
7. Whites of eyes of yellowish cast. Could be
caused by tonality of mask or membrane.
8. Blinking of eyes was not apparent Small
pupils were. If membrane held eyes open, an effect of smaller pupils
could be noticeable, if whites of eyes were bared. Membrane could keep
air and impurities out of eyes, making blinking, to relubricate orbs,
unnecessary.
9. Lack of ears, only ear holes and lack of
hair. Tight membrane could restrict ear cartilage and also hair,
producing a rounder, balder appearing. head. To theorize presence of a
tight, colorless membrane, let's assume it could be for clinical or
climatic reasons. Many other conjectures could here be explored.
10. Color of "men's" faces were 1)
yellowish, 2) aluminum grey. A blue lighted interior (of the vehicle),
as described by you, could accentuate a complementary tone or
yellowishness to faces.
11. The following missing details could
complete picture: 1) Were hand - sheathed with a membrane that would
have minimized finger and finger nail details? 2) What textures
in the faces were obvious as masculine or feminine?
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