THE HIGHEST SPECIES OF MEN. 319 
degenerated very much by adaptation to the very un- 
favourable conditions of existence. But it is also possible 
that Mongols and Polynesians immigrated from the west 
and mixed with the former tribe. In any case the 
aborigines of America came over from the Old World, and 
did not, as some suppose, in any way originate out of 
American apes. Catarrhini, or Narrow-nosed Apes, never 
at any period existed in America. 
The three human species still to be considered—the 
Dravidas, Nubians, and Mediterranese—agree in several 
characteristics which seem to establish a close relationship 
between them, and distinguish them from the preceding 
species. The chief of these characteristics is the strong 
development of the beard, which in all other species is 
either entirely wanting or but very scanty. The hair of 
their heads is generally not so lank and smooth as in the 
five preceding species, but in most cases more or less curly. 
Other characteristics also seem to favour our classing them 
in one main group of curly-haired men (Euplocomi). 
The Dravida man (Homo Dravida) seems to stand very 
near the common primary form of the Euplocomi, and 
perhaps of Lissotrichi. At present this primeval species 
is only represented by the Deccan tribes in the southern 
part of Hindostan, and by the neighbouring inhabitants of 
the mountains on the north-east of Ceylon. But in earlier 
times this race seems to have occupied the whole of 
Hindostan, and to have spread even further. It shows, on 
the one hand, traits of relationship to the Australians and 
Malays; on the other, to the Mongols and Mediterranese. 
Their skin is either of a light or dark brown colour; in 
some tribes, of a yellowish brown, in others, almost black 
