| 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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