(321 ) 



Let us remark here that a negative D, refers to the ascending 

 slope of the curves on the left being steeper than the descending 

 slope on the right and that a positive sign of D A means that small 

 deviations appear in greater number than would be the case in 

 accordance with the simple exponential law. 



In order to show clearly the part played by the various terms 

 of the series in the composition of the curve of distribution a 

 comparison has been given in table VIII, as in table VI, of the observed 

 and calculated frequency-numbers of the last series of table IV ; 

 the number of observations 4516 has here been reduced in the first 

 column under O to 1000. 



From this table is evident that if only a great number of 

 observations is at hand, the frequency-curve of the air-temperature 

 can be very satisfactorily determined by the three constants of the 

 series of Bruns, the total of the differences between observation 

 and calculation amounting in round numbers to 4 ° ' . 



Anthropology. — "Is red hair <t nuance or a variety?" By Prof. 

 L. Bolk. 



Concerning the anthropological importance of red hair the literature 

 relating to it contains up till now little more than opinions based 

 upon general impressions or suppositions, founded on statistical data, 

 which when looked at more closely are open to more or less un- 

 favourable criticism. There is in those opinions and suppositions a 

 definite main current according to which it is generally assumed 

 that a closer affinity of redhairiness exists to what, for the sake of 

 brevity, I shall indicate as the blonde race, characterized as to the 

 pigmentation by blonde hair and blue eyes. 



The nature of the relation between blonde and red-haired people 

 is expressed by Topinard ') as follows : the red-haired type has arisen 

 from the blonde type "par une action des milieux". Also Beddoe 

 and Ripley, to mention the principal English and the best known 

 American anthropologist, assume a closer connection between blonde 

 and red hair. Virchow looks upon the subject from a somewhat 

 different standpoint, when he says that redhairiness probably arises 

 in two manners, viz. by a decrease of pigment in brown hair or an 

 increase in blonde hair °). This opinion of Virchow is based upon 



!) Elements d'Antbropologie générale. Paris 1885 p. 334 



2 ) Das jedoch scheint mir nicht unwahrscheinlich zu sein, class es eine doppelte 

 Art von Rothharigkeit giebt, von denen die eine als eine Steigerimg des Pigments 

 bei den Blonden, die andere als eine Verminderung desselben bei den Braunen 

 anzuseheu ist. Archiv fiir Anlhrop. XVI Bnd. p. 338. 



21 



Proceedings Royal Acad. Amsterdam. Vol. X. 



