( 328 ) 



find a somewhat lower percentage of redhaired individuals among 

 the blue-eyed 'children than with the grey or brownish-greeneyed. 



Red hair is therefore a quality altogether independent of the degree 

 of pigmentation of the iris. No matter from what side we look 

 upon the redhairiness with regard to the other phenomena of pig- 

 mentation of hair or eyes, there is — at least on the score of ray 

 researches --- not a single proportion to be alleged on behalf of the 

 opinion that redhairiness should by preference occur in the blonde 

 race. So I cannot but reject as incorrect the opinion of those who, 

 reducing redhairiness to a quantitative difference of pigment, see in 

 it nothing but a nuance. And these results of our investigation 

 naturally lead to considering red hair as a variety, in which the 

 pigment is qualitatively different from that in blonde and black hair. 

 Between these two last there is properly speaking no real difference; 

 gradually, through numerous shades, flax-blonde hair passes into 

 jet-black, by an increase of the quantity of pigment; also in red hair 

 a great number of shades can be distinguished; in proportion to the 

 quantity of pigment the colour varies between gold-blonde and 

 fiery red. 



How is the appearance and the regular extension of redhaired 

 individuals among our population to be accounted for? It need 

 hardly be said that, on \\\c ground (if the proportions found, I am 

 not entitled to give any explanation. For this purpose anthropological 

 researches of another nature would be necessary. Only for the sake 

 of completeness I mention the opinion of Topinard, who explains 

 redhairiness from a former mixing with an originally redhaired race, 

 which in pre-historic times is said to have inhabited the plains of 

 Russia, Siberia and Turkistan and of which one of the groups of 

 the Finnish population (the Letts and the Esths) are said to be the 

 purest descendants '). 



l ) L'histoire de cette race est a faire. Jusqu'a nouvel ordre j'admets qu'elle a 

 oecupé le sol de la Russie aux époques préhistoriques, antérieurement a l'invasion 

 des Asiatiques, répondant a Tun des deux types finnois actuels, je n'osc dire de 

 celui qui a apporté la langue du Kalevala. Kile est representee dans la plupart 

 des kourgans anciens de la Russie. Le type en est signalé dans les annales des 

 Han antérieurement a l'ère chrétienne en Siberië et dans le Turkestan (Illinois. — 

 Elements d'Anthrop. générale, p. 331. 



(November 28, 1907). 



