The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-20
SOME MEN BOOKS.



bert Spcncors sociology has already reached
impressive proportions. Tho collection and or
gnnigntion of facts required rs bases " induc-
ton was entered upon solcly to facilitate the
authors work. As far however. as the data are
obtained and classified for easy reference and
convenient study of their relations, they are
presented apart from hypothcscs. so as to aid
all students Of social science in drawing and test
ing thcir own conclusions. We drew attention
some time ugo to the volume containing sys-
tcmatic dcscription " the aboriginal Americans.
We would now mark some NJ the equally intcr-
rsting phenomena brought together in another
division of the work. This Is entitled Times ~
forrest Races. NegriHo aud Malaga Povnesinn
compiled and distracted by Prof. DAVID DUNCAN
OF Tho College Of Madras tApplctonsl. Here ns
elsewhere the mode Of tabulntion is suppliodby
Mr.. spencer. while the work OF compilation ia
performed by proxy, the special competence OF
the assistant in this instance being well estab-
lshcd.
A comparison Of the physical characters OBJ
served In these types Of lowest races is curl
ously suggestive. For example, tho Fuegians
proper who inhnhiI the southeastern part Of
Terra del Fuego arc low In stature. Unlocking.
and badly propOrtoned. The trunk OF the body
is largo in proportion to their cramped md
crooked limbs their foreheads are small and
low. their eyes small. red and watery. thcir
arms nrc long and their legs short. Yet. like the
ape whom they resemble, they are very nmble
aud rather strong. As to the he-FucRians. by
courtesy called women. We arc told that thor
stature is four feet and some inches. and
that they never walk upright. In like
manner the Andaman Islands arc inhabited by
u race Of understood or dwarfed blacks. Their
height averages from feet 10 inches TO triile
under feet. the women being all under the
nrst-nameJ figures. The same diminutive
proportions nrc remarked in the aboriginal
race OF Ccylon known ms tho Veddahs; the
lallcst male found by one traveller WIS only
feet . inches in height. while the shortest
WIS feet inch. Their heads arc remark
ably small. tho eyes small. piercing and con-
stuutly in motion to tho right and left and the
cars ara rs restless rs the eyes. What il equally
significant. tho toes said to exhibit rs
much prchensile power ms the fingers. The
extraordinary likeness exhibited by the We'd
dahs TO one another is ascribcd to the practice
Of iniermarr,agcs. especially OF brother with
younger sister. On tho other hand. the natives
OF South Australia are not much below the stat
urc Of Europeans. although the women are dis
proportionately small. The extinct Tasmnnian
race WAS less tall. but stouter than the Austria
lians. Passing to moro crclitablc specimens OF
tho Nogr,to races. wc find the Fapuan de-
cidcily surpassing In stature the Malay (which
is reckoncd. however higher typel and per-
hups equal TO the average Of Europeans. The
lo.s arc long and thin tho forehead nnttish. but
the nose is large. arched. and high. Spay feet
and curved shins are at least ~ common as
among the negroes Of Africa. We may add
that the Papuans display a monkey-like
agility in springng from branch to branch OF
the manrrove trees that dcnsely line part OF the
New Guinea coast. \ still higher grade Of
physical Improvement is assigned To- the FIJI
ans. who scem 10 exhibit the Ncgritto type The
chiefs are tall. well made and muscular, their
faces long. with large mouth. good and well
set teeth n well formed nose and flno black
penetrating eyes. We seem TO enter a different
world however. when We pnss from the Ncgritto
Islanders to tho Malayo- Polynesan races. Mt
whose physical characters 1t may he well 10
glance briefly before considering the social and
moral phenomena forming the bulk OF DR..
Duncan = compendium.
Beginning with the Javans who seem 10 be
less ,a.. thnn other coenatc varieties. and in
stature rather below the European average We
nul them croo; and we'll shaprd, with slender
limbs anl particularly small wrists and ankles.
Tin forcheadis high, the eyebrows we'll marked.
and the countenancc extremely mobile and ex-
pr,ssivc. Tho complexion. We need not say. is
yellow. and " n virgin gold color is the standard
IL beauty. Tho physical defects are certain
nniness Il tho nose, II prominence OF
the cheek bones and n scantincss OF
board. In Java the term Of lie is not much
shorter than in tho best climates % Europe. al
though among tho kindred Sumntrans not a
great proportion Of the men attain TO the age Of
3D. Apropos Of tho Sumn;rans. We may point
out fact contradictory Of III, common notion
which makes tho Malay n hot-bloodcd race.
The hands OF the natives. anG even OF tho half
breed are always cold to the touch. and tho
sumo thing is observed among the cognato
Mullgasy in Madagascar, whose blood
moreover. has hocn shown bv Their
monlctcr to be colder than that II Euro
poan. Tho Maagasy include both dark and q
fair species. tho latter having light. thin skin
scarcely deeper in tinge than the Portuguese
Passing to the New Zenlanders. We find them al.
most equal in stature and bodily weight and
srth OF chest to Englishmen. But those who
/ like to think of the human race as degeneratine
under civilization will be surprised TO learn thai
/ tho New Zcalandcrs have been proved by re-
! peatcd Investigations Ia be inferior to Euro
pcans in bodily strength and in cndurance
Hero. too. observation confirms what WIS re-
marked IN Java. Sumatra and Madagas mr.
namely. that the females are less hand
some than tho males. although the daugh
tiers of the chiefs are. in youth. comedy an
pleasing. Tho Malayo-Polynosian typo reaches
perfection IN the Samoan and Tongan Islands
The IonGans. for instance. are rather above
the middle stature. have broad shoulders. an,
strong. wrll-roundel limbs. straight hair. ans
handsome features. Very few exhibit any un
common thickness Of the lips. neither are the,
subject to tho corpulcncc so prevalent in Ota
hcitt. The physical superiority Of the Samoan
and Tonsans to other Polyncsian Islander
seems 10 be easily explained by the conditions
Of their environment, Not only is the climat
soft and oquahlc. and the fruitfulness ofthe sol
almost unparalleled. but these islands seem Il
havo enjoyed. apparently for centuries com
purutivc immunity from war and pcsiicncc.
In study OF the lowest races we shou
naturally examine emotional traits next {
physical pcculiaritios. Those who are incline
TO accept the Dnrwinian theory Of mans origi
will DE kccnly impressed by some Of the dat
here collected. Thus we arc told by Fit2ro
that when discovered by strangers tho nstau
Impulse oi a furgian family is 10 run o1 int
the wood with their children and such thing
ms they can carry with them. 1t Is said TO,