472 Mr. W. G. D. Wietham [May 3, 



neither hoe nor harrow ou the weeds ? 1 think that, in spite of the 

 risks of the Agricultural Holdings Act, we should give him notice to 

 quit. The policy of laissezfaire may be sound economically ; it does 

 not work well with living Ijeings, either corn or men. 



The growth of our population still continues, and still httle heed 

 is given to the breed of men that take advantage of the increasing 

 stores of energy that are brought into play by the ingenuity of our 

 engineers and manufacturers. What sections of the people are tend- 

 ing to increase ? What are their special qualities compared with those 

 of other parts of the community ? 



Such a wide question cannot be answered with the knowledge at 

 our disposal. But it is one that the country ought to face. ' The 

 office of the Registrar-General should be given power and means to 

 investigate these problems in a far more thorough manner than it can 

 at present. A genealogical survey of the people is at least as impor- 

 tant as a geological survey of the land. The inborn qualities of the 

 race are the greatest of national possessions. They should be studied 

 and treasured accordingly. 



As a temporary and tentative expedient, the Eugenics Laboratory 

 at University College, London, and the Eugenics Education Society 

 collect, preserve and tabulate pedigrees. As an example of modern 

 requirements, I give in Shde No. 20 the schedule sent out by the 

 Society. 



The questions to be asked and answered by such a Government 

 survey cannot even be formulated in the short time at our disposal. 

 I can but suggest in the most tentative way two out of the many con- 

 siderations which would appear to be worth investigation. The first 

 and most difficult is the broad question of race and racial qualities. 



In modern Europe the distribution of the physical characters of 

 the people indicates that in three regions certain combinations of 

 those characters are found in great purity. Hence it is concluded 

 that there are three great races, with numerous subdivisions. The 

 three races are : — 



(1) The Mediterranean race, which from early times has Uved 

 round the shores of that sea, and spread up the Atlantic coasts. Its 

 chief physical characteristics are a long-shaped skull, small stature 

 and dark colouring. 



(2) The Alpine race, inhabiting the central mountainous region, 

 from Asia to France. They have broad heads, medium stature and 

 brown colouring. 



(3) The Northern or Teutonic race, whose original home seems 

 to 1)6 round the shores of the Baltic. Their characters are iong- 

 headedness, great stature and fair colouring. 



In the British Isles the broad head of the Alpine race is prac- 

 tically absent, and we are left with the Mediterranean and the 

 Northern races only, with subdivisions. As head shape fails us as a 

 means of discrimination, we must rely on coloration (Slide No. 21) 



