110 REPORT — 1856. 



hair in Greenwich Park of an auburn colour ; and Mr. Bateman, near Taddingtoil, 

 Derbyshire, of a decidedly light colour. 



Dr. Prichard thought the Germans had lost the peculiar features attributed to them 

 by classical writers, from a change of climate, both which positions are most ques- 

 tionable, and, indeed, are disproved by the evidence of facts. The present German 

 natives are a tall stout people with large heads, fair complexions, and generally 

 light or blond hair and eyes, probably all that was intended by the Italian writers. 

 This view is quite borne out by Dr. Beddoes's careful examination of people of dif- 

 ferent districts of our own country. In the Lothians and borders which were subdued 

 by the Angles and Saxons in the sixth century, he says, " the people seem generally 

 tall, large, and muscular ; their outlines of face and figure are rounded, particularly in 

 the forehead and the chin ; the nose varies in form, but as a rule is short and 

 straightish. The heavy overhanging brow and deep sunk eye, which, with the high 

 cheek-bones, are generally sufficient to mark out a Scotchman from among a group 

 of Saxon Englishmen, are in this district comparatively rare. The prevaihng com- 

 plexion is fairer than in any other district [of Scotland] 1 have visited. The eyes 

 are in a great majority of cases blue or light grey, but hazel is not an uncommon 

 colour. The hair varies from light yellowish-red and flaxen yellow, through divers 

 shades of brown." 



The great mental power of the Germanic races, with its special manifestations in 

 different tribes ; and the probability that the ancient Germans, and perhaps the Anglo- 

 Saxons, distorted the skull artificially, were briefly alluded to, previous to the closing 

 remarks on the striking ethnological position of the lasting permanency of ethnical 

 characters confirmed by all the evidence adduced. 



On some Volcanic Islets to the South-East of Japan, including the Bonin 

 Islands. By A. G. Findlay, F.R.G.S. 



The recent importance of our commercial relations with Japan, consequent upon 

 the opening of the ports of Nagasaki and Hakodadi to our shipping, and the increasing 

 commerce now developing itself between Eastern Asia and North-West America, 

 has rendered the great ocean-highway between Nippon and the Bonin Islands of 

 great interest. The dangers of this region to the seaman is much increased by the 

 rapid Japanese current, first shown by the author in 1850 to run from east to west 

 across the North Pacific Ocean, in an analogous course to the Atlantic Gulf-stream. 

 This mighty stream, running to the E.N.E., through the space under consideration, 

 has given rise to the very complicated nature of the so-believed new discoveries ; 

 above thirty of these announcements being, by investigallon, reduced to five or six 

 rocky islets of very singular character. The islands nearest to Japan, the Broken 

 Ids, Fatsisyo, the Japanese penal colony, and South Island, were shown to be in 

 some cases defectively represented. The Redfield Rocks are those discovered by 

 Broughton, and corrected by Capt. Donnel in 1850, and therefore not a discovery by 

 the United States Japan Expedition in 1854. The islandS'south of this are, perhaps, 

 Tibbit Island of 1844, then an island or reef of pointed rocks, discovered by Coffin 

 in 1825, afterwards announced as new by Capt. Jurien-Lagraviere in May 1850; 

 again announced as new by Capt. Rogers in 1851 ; again in 1852 by Capt. Drescher 

 of the ' Walter,' and again in 1856 by Capt. Grove, each person believing that he had 

 discovered a new island. Others similar were also cited. The next group, perhaps, 

 is about eight miles to the south of the last, or lat. 31° 53' N., long. 139° 59' E., 

 was discovered in the Dutch corvette, the ' Koerier,' August 24th, 1849, and is of 

 a very dangerous character. Jeannette Island, twenty-three miles further south, is 

 doubtful. Smith Island, in lat 31° 12' N., long. 139° 55' E., discovered by Capt. 

 Smith of the ' Ileber,' March 1846, is a most singular needle-rock, springing from 

 unfathomable depths to a height of 300 feet, and not more than 250 feet diameter at 

 the base. It has been seen by others. Ponafidin Island of the Russians lies next, 

 to the south. St. Peter's or Black Rock, first seen in 1821, and again in 1853, is a 

 wonderful column of basalt 200 feet high, parallel and quite perpendicular sides, not 

 more than 150 feet in diameter, and hke a bottle in appearance. It is in lat. 

 29°42'N., long. 140° 15' E. The volcanic nature of these remarkable rocks, lying near 

 the meridian of 140° E., indicates a continuation of those immense volcanic ranges 



