ANTHROPOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS DURING 1879. 449 



ANTHROPOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS DURING THE YEAR 18*9. 



By Otis T. Mason. 



The investigations of anthropologists may be divided into several 

 classes. The first relates to the origin of the race, and this again deals 

 with very different questions, such as, 1, the method by which the hu- 

 man animal made his appearance upon this planet ; 2, his mental and 

 social condition at that time ; 3, the geological epoch when this remark- 

 able event took place ; 4, the locality or localities of his first appearance. 



Another class of inquiries, following closely upon the last named, re- 

 lates to the oldest manifestations of culture in gravel-beds, caves, 

 mounds, graves, and sepulchers, by means of which it is hoped to recon- 

 struct the history of the past. 



A third class of investigations has reference to the human body as it 

 now manifests itself. Beginning with the very first germ or embryo, 

 the biologist traces the life history of man to maturity. The anatomist 

 and the physiologist follow up the work of the biologist and study the 

 resemblance between the human structure and that of the lower animals. 



Next comes the psychologist, comparing the mental manifestations of 

 one race with another and of each race with those of animals. This 

 branch of the subject has but just begun its scientific career, under the 

 direction of such students as Galton, Bertillon, Lindsay, Maudsley, and 

 a few others. 



The fifth class of studies relates to the various races of men. Though 

 no broad spaces separate the human groups, yet all men recognize racial 

 differences. If all the human beings that present marked character- 

 istics were arranged in groups, and those that nearly resemble them were 

 placed near those to whom they bear the greatest likeness, we should 

 have a series of irregular masses merging into one another. These 

 would be races. The form, the extent, and the number of the groups 

 Mould vary somewhat with the characteristics selected as the basis of 

 the classification. The progess of scientific observations bringing other 

 portions of the body than the brain and skull into prominence as racial 

 marks. Of the two words commonly used to designate this branch of 

 the subject, I employ ethnology as the generic term, including ethno- 

 graphy, or the description of races, and all discussions with reference 

 to the best methods of classifying mankind. 



The next division of the subject is language, the basis of which is 

 phonology ; the relation of sound to sense, or sematology , and the peculiar 

 adjustment of the sentential elements, or morphology, at present occupy- 

 ing a subordinate position. It cannot be denied that more is being ac- 

 complished in the way of collecting material than at any time previous. 



The seventh class of anthropological phenomena embraces all of the 

 S. Mis. 54 29 



