to other Branches of Knowledge. 313 



The latest scheme devised for the classification of human 

 skulls, and the distribution of human races according to their 

 forms, is that proposed by Professor Retzius of Stockholm, a 

 very ingenious and able anatomist, and a very estimable 

 man, who has lately devoted his talents to this subject. Pro- 

 fessor Retzius' researches are well known, and I shall not 

 occupy the time of the Society by stating to them his results. 

 They are particularly interesting in one point of view, pro- 

 bably not contemplated by the excellent author. I allude to 

 the fact, that he seems to have established distinctions in the 

 form of the skull among nations, who, though for many ages 

 separate, are known, if I am not mistaken, historically, to 

 have descended from the same original stock. 



The head is not the only part of the body which displays 

 different forms in different human tribes. Varieties in stature 

 and in the proportion of limbs — in the form of the pelvis 

 and other parts of the body — as well as in the texture of the 

 skin, the hair, and other structures, are well known to dis- 

 tinguish races from each other. With respect to all these 

 differences, anatomical researches have been made which have 

 an obvious bearing on ethnology. 



When we advert to the resources which physiology affords 

 for the cultivation of ethnological science, we find that there 

 are many relations between these studies. One series of in- 

 quiries is, whether the great laws of the animal economy are 

 the same in respect to all human races ; whether any parti- 

 cular race differs from others in regard to the duration of 

 life, and the different periodical changes of constitution, and, 

 generally speaking, in the laws of the animal economy, and 

 whether such diversities, if found to exist, can be explained 

 by reference to external causes, or imply original difference, 

 and form, therefore, specific characters. Another physiologi- 

 cal inquiry connected with ethnology is, whether variations of 

 form, colour, &c., can be explained by reference to any known 

 principle, and how far, and under what conditions, they are 

 transmitted to posterity, and may tend to account for the 

 origination of particular breeds or tribes marked by some 

 hereditary and permanent characters \ 



Zoology and the whole study of natural history opens a 



VOL. XLIII. NO. I4XXXVI.— OCTOBER 1847. X 



