118 REPORT—1857, 
remarkable properties, which may have likewise a hitherto unretognized effect in 
blackening the human skin. Finally, the traveller quoted several cases where the 
skin was notoriously blackened, with or without apparent malady, in the same per- 
son living in the very peculiar Ethiopian climate. This latter fact is generally 
believed and asserted by the Ethiopians themselves. 
On the Anomalous Period of the Rising of the Niger. 
By Henry Banta, LL.D. 
The Human Hand, an Index of Mental Development. 
By Ricwarp Beamish, F.R.S, 
The author first alludes to the labours of Lavater, Gall, Sir Charles Bell, Earl 
Gustav Carus, and others, who have sought to demonstrate the value of the symbol- 
ical system, dwelling more at length on those of Georg Meissner, as furnishing, in 
his ‘ Anatomie und Physiologie der Haut,’ the fullest demonstration of the nerve 
of touch as contradistinguished from that of feeling; and of D’Arpentigny, as offer- 
ing, in his ‘ Chirognomie ou I’art de reconnaitre les Tendances de la Main,’ the first 
definite and practical illustrations of the value of the hand in ethnological inquiries, 
The author then proceeds to consider the several portions of the hand—the palm 
as indicative of temperament ; the development of the thumb as significant of power; 
and the form of the fingers as expressive of social and intellectual character; refer- 
ence being made to numerous tracings of the hands of individuals of different 
nations, whereby the great importance of the study of the hand by the ethnologist 
was inferred. ihe 
The necessity for a more extended knowledge of the religious and social instincts 
of nations was strongly urged, and the effects of ignorance in this department of 
science illustrated by reference to our systems of government both at home and 
abroad, in Ireland, and in India, where the nationalities of the people had been 
equally disregarded, and as a consequence, equally productive of results not only 
disappointing, but disastrous. 
On the Physical Characters of the Ancient and Modern Germans. 
By Joun Bepvport, M.D. 
Allaccounts of the physical character of the ancient Germans agree in representing 
them as a very light-complexioned people, having hair redder or yellower than that 
of the Gauls, themselves considered as fair by the Italians. Niebuhr, Bunsen and 
Prichard, however, agree in thinking that their descendants, as a rule, do not answer 
to these descriptions, and have to a great extent ceased to be the xanthous race they 
were in the time of Tacitus. I am disposed, however, to doubt whether the differ- 
ences in complexion between the Italians and the most pure-blooded Germans were 
any more marked in that age than they are at present. There are reasons for not 
taking too literally Tacitus’ statements as to the remarkable uniformity of complexion 
in the ancient Germans : £av6os and flavus, as applied to the colour of hair, probably 
meant chestnut or light brown rather than bright yellow; wvppos, which means 
literally ‘‘ flame-coloured,” and rufilus, an epithet often applied to gold, may have 
included bright yellow as well as what we callred. The use of soap as a cosmetic by 
both Gauls and Germans had probably a great effect on the colour of the hair. Ob- 
serve the light hue of the locks of Venetian ladies in the portraits of the 16th century, 
though their eyes, and the eyes and hair of their spouses, are represented as dark. 
This light colour is known to have been produced by the use of an alkaline ley. 
~ In order to ascertain with accuracy some of the physical characters of the modern 
Germans, I have made observations in most parts of their country, and have noted 
the colour of the hair and eyes—in Holland, in 1133 individuals; in Belgium, in 4023; 
in North-Western Germany, in 2545; in Prussia, Saxony, &c., in 1220; at Vienna, 
in 1807 ; and in other parts of Austria, in 1659; I have seen but very few natives 
of Swabia and Bavaria, and not many Swiss. 
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