The National tribune., 1890-12-18

>
- race is, upon he
whole, the least evOly-
ed Of human aggregates, both physically
aud mentally. Ia Australia animated nature
bears the stamp impressed upon the animals
of other countries long before the grandeT
creatures of our present world had been
developed. There the dominant type is that
of marsupals, whose place is far down in the
vertebrate class, and there also man most
frequently evinces IN his structure those traits
which establish a blood relationship with lower
forms Resemblance in human anatomy TO
the conformation OF beasts Of any kind do
not, however. imply lineal descent They are
the morphol0gcal evidences of common origin,
aud as such cannot be otherwise explained, or
ignored, or successfully disputed.
10 is the physical characteristics Of AustTali-
aus which occupy us now; their moral and
mental peculiarities will be considered here
after. Id the reader will draw line trangen-
tial 20 the forehead and nasal spine i'm the
initial plate Of a skull, and connect its lower
extremity with a horizontal line passing back
ward through the middle of the ear opening,
the resulting angle will be TO a great extent
indicative Of the mass Of brain contained in
the frontal lobes. Evidently as the oblique
line tends 10 become perpendicular and the
angle al which this and the horizontal line in-
teFsect approaches a right angle. the eranial
capacity must increase and the amount OF brain
before the ear grow larger.
This measurement has not fulfilled the pur-
pose its inventor lCamper) anticipated. Ii fails
utterly as q standard according 10 which races
may be Disseminated. aud IN our present state
OF knowledge concerning the relation between
nervous mass aud intellectual vigor, il cannot
be- used to determine mental grade in indi-
viduals either absolutely or relatively. On
the other hand ID is a matter OF common OBJ
servati0n, as well as of scientific fact, that the
highest races have the greatest facial angles
and largest brains
In the Australian,
MORE THAN IN OTHER MEN,
those reversionary structures appear which
witness 20 the e-humRn phases mankind
have passed through during their ascent in the
geological SERIES The heightened lower jaw
20 which a distinctly brutal face is due, the
Eupemumenry molar teeth Of quadrupeds, the
incis0r separated. as in carnivora from the
teeth behind IT, the pFematurely- ossihed SUI
lures of the anterior part Of the skull, whose
closure puts an end TO the growth OF the cere'
brum.
Here, also, as Ia Polynesans, negroes, etc.
De found that partial loosening Of the fascial
wrist band which permits the contraction OF
muscles whose function has been wholly lost
among more highly -deyelOped men: the ape
hand partially aud occasionally reappears il
d. the same with the elbow ioint, whose artieu-
latlOn is always more simian than among white
races. and which sometimes exhibits marked
anthropoid features.
Al the ankle and foot and in the setting
on Of the great toe, traits equivalent to those
manifested In the upper extremity are repeated.
flattening OF the larger bone Of the leg affords
increased surface for the attachment Of those
muscles by which the sole is turned inward.
This BE- essential 20 climbing animals who are
without claws, aud from these and other pecu-
-. -
Australian climbs the shadeless trees of bis for
osis as no civilized man-that is no man whose
organs had been differently specialized during
tie conditions Of existence civilization inn
plies-could ever climb. To an anatOmist the
pelvis OF this race exhibits traits as
RECOGNIZABLY BRUTAL
~ those mentioned, and as evidently con-
Hected with states Of being different from that
which mankind now occupy.
al men preserve in their bodily conforma-
ti0n the ineiiaceabe records Of a history beside
which the Ruuals-u0t written annais--0f
humanity are hut a. OF yesterday. in this
lowest Of races suryivals only show themselves
more frequently and more plainly.
There arc a number OF accounts OF how Aus
trHiia was peopled aud Of the source Of It's
population, al equally Objectionable. But la
physical traits language, customs and culture
thls people stand apart from those of New ZCa-
land, New Guinea, or the former Iasmaniaus
They did not originate 10 their present habitat
but have lived there so long as 10 acquire lis
tinctive character by means OF just 30 much re-