26 On the Unify of the Human Species. 



the organ presents a great number of white spots ; by the 

 side of these spots, the skin preserves its ordinary colour, 

 black, red, brown, or some other shade ; but, what is remark- 

 able, the points where the skin is not coloured, are destitute 

 of the pigmental membrane. 



M. Moreau de Jonnes has, in like manner, observed among 

 the negroes of the Antilles, individuals of both sexes whose 

 skin was spotted with white. These spots, which appear 

 very conspicuous on the black surface of the body, are rather 

 greyish or of a greyish-white colour, than pure white. The 

 number of individuals in whom this appeared was very limited. 



Other travellers affirm that they have witnessed similar 

 facts in the island of Cuba, not only among the black popula- 

 tion, but also among individuals of mixed blood. This discolor- 

 ation of certain parts of the skin, in races which usually have 

 it coloured, shews that the non-secretion of the pigmentum 

 may be the effect of a morbid alteration, but cannot be re- 

 garded as characteristic of the different human races. 



These researches will lead to certain others, of not less in- 

 terest ; for they are connected with the question we are now 

 considering. According to the preceding statements, the 

 pigmental substance disappears in all the parts of the skin 

 which ai'e discoloured, and remains only in those whose 

 shades do not vary from a more or less sombre tint. Hence, 

 individuals of the Negro race, -who, by crossing with Whites, 

 acquire tints more and more faint, ought to have the pigmen- 

 tum but little developed ; this organ should even almost 

 wholly disappear, when the negro has in a great measure 

 acquired the characters of the white race. 



It would, therefore, be curious to follow the various degrees 

 of alteration the pigmental membrane undergoes, and to as- 

 certain whether they coincide witli the varieties sprung from 

 the Black or White races, which are commonly designated by 

 the name of quadroons or demiqiiadrooiis. 



We wish we were in a situation to undertake these re- 

 searches, which, we doubt not, would concur in establishing 

 the identity of the human species, equally with the facts we 

 have recounted. The lively interest tliis subject excites, 

 leads us to hope that American observers, who have such 



