In this study the iris pigmentation and the stature of 10'064 students of the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris (born between 1775 and 1864) were analyzed. This sample represents a population sequent which is characterized by well developed mathematical capacities and by high proportions of blue eyes and of tall stature. The diachronic variations seem to be linked to some socio-political factors, but they reflect also the general trend towards darker iris pigmentation, as observed on the total population of France during the 18th and the first half of the 19th century. The particularities of the studied population segment can be understood as a consequence tracing back the earlier german invasions and of social conservation.