Nov. 1, 1867.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



backwards, or sideways, /with equal case, will 

 quickly clear a neighbourhood of the minute 

 organisms that go to form their food; this being 

 accomplished, the family, or at least some of its 

 members, must either starve or emigrate. Nature, 

 no doubt, has pointed out to them that the latter is 

 the preferable proceeding, and that the best method 

 of carrying it out is by riding on the back or limbs 

 of some more gigantic relative. Hence the finding 

 of a Chelifer on the anterior leg of Phalangium 

 opilio ; for there (had he not been interrupted) he 

 might have passed over in ten minutes, a space of 

 ground, which it would have taken him a week to 

 traverse on his own feeble limbs ; and thus, with 

 little inconvenience to his bearer, or trouble to 

 himself, he might be carried to fresh scenes, teeming 

 with the food best suited to sustain him. 



Xo doubt, too, the same mode of locomotion aids 

 in disseminating insects, with a view to the founda- 

 tion of new colonies. Female ants are supplied tem- 

 porarily with wings for this purpose. A week or two 

 ago the air in this neighbourhood was filled with 

 female ants, careering across the country in search 

 of suitable spots in which to lay their eggs, and es- 

 tablish new kingdoms. The case of gossamer spiders 

 is familiar to every dweller in the country ; the tiny 

 threads on which these animals float from one point 

 to another being constantly seen in the air, often in 

 great abundance. 



However, it is to transportation by the aid of 

 other animals that I wish to direct the attention of 

 all who may have witnessed instances of the tinier 

 creatures (not parasites) being carried about by the 

 larger and more quickly moving members of the 

 Animal Kingdom. If such would record their ex- 

 perience, they would materially aid in elucidating an 

 obscure chapter in Natural History. 



W. W. Spicer. 



THE UNITY OF MANKIND. 



IHAYE read with some interest the articles 

 in Science-Gossip on the Unity of Mankind ; 

 and to me it seems "F. A. A.," in his reply to 

 Mr. Milton, not only fails to answer his opponent's 

 objections, but departs from several of his former 

 theories and propositions. In his first article he 

 proposes to establish, in place of the complex classi- 

 fications formerly in use, a simple one founded on 

 colour, and so divides man into three groups, — 

 white, brown, and black ; brown he afterwards 

 states to be a mere transition-state between white 

 and black, so that in . reality we only have two 

 groups or classes — white aud black. Simple enough 

 division certainly, but is it satisfactory ? A classifi- 

 cation, to be scientific, must be based upon some 

 peculiarity or peculiarities which are well marked, 

 and which occur invariably in all the individuals of 

 each different class ; but "F. A. A." himself says that 



races are always changing their colour, that whites 

 become browns, and browns black when exposed to 

 certain climatic influences ; and that, by his own 

 showing, his classification wants the element of 

 stability. Besides, as Mr. Milton has proved, in- 

 stead of "F. A. A.'s" simple black, brown, and white, 

 we have human beings of many different colours, — 

 yellow, green of various tints, chocolate colour, and 

 brown of every conceivable depth of hue, so that I 

 am afraid, if we took colour as the distinguishing 

 mark, we should have fifty instead of five races of 

 mankind, and this certainly would not be advancing 

 in simplicity from Prichard. Besides "F. A. A." 

 shows so little confidence in his own system that, 

 in the same article in which he proposes it, he used 

 another which surpasses the colour one in simplicity 

 and correctness when he speaks of Circassians, 

 Moguls, &c, and then he states that the brown 

 Hindu is the only coloured representative of the 

 Circassian race. The fact which he quotes as to 

 children, &c, of the Hindus being white, if true, 

 would only prove, I think, that the Hindus were not 

 a brown race at all, but a white one ; for surely 

 he would not attach any scientific importance to 

 tanning from exposure occuring in individuals. 



Which is the primeval race ? he asks, but does 

 not attempt to answer. From the general tenor of 

 the articles one would think that he considered 

 white the primeval colour, but in the August 

 number, abandoning the charming simplicity of 

 white, brown, and black, he introduces another 

 colour, red, which he thinks may have some claim 

 to be the original one : if so, to what influences are 

 due the extinction of the red, or its conversion into 

 white ? If all mankind is descended from one fore- 

 father, what was his colour ? and will climatic 

 influences sufficiently account for the production of 

 the varied hues of mankind now ? May he not 

 have been black ? and instead of the negro being a 

 degenerated white man, may we not be improved 

 negroes ? If climate can degenerate, can it not re- 

 generate ? It may be answered that the Mosaic 

 account teaches differently, but I would say with 

 all reverence that the history in the Bible was 

 written for a peculiar people and time, and should 

 not be imported into scientific discussions at the 

 present day. 



In his last article "F. A. A." modifies his argu- 

 ment as to the influence of heat ; he says, " I do not 

 believe that heat alone produces a dark skin, but 

 heat, an unhealthy climate, and prolonged isolation 

 will, I think it is impossible to doubt, produce and 

 perpetuate the most marked and extraordinary 

 peculiarities." Would he kindly inform us what 

 nation or body of men have been subjected to these 

 three influences simultaneously, and the peculiarities 

 produced thereby ? Certainly colour is not one of 

 these peculiarities, .for if we take them separately, 

 heat, "F. A. A." allows, alone would not make a 



