1826.] Scientific Notices-^ Zoology. 71 



The great quantity of oxygen found in these bitumens tends 

 to confirm (says the reporter m the BuUetm des Sciences) Mr. 

 Hatchett's opiiiion as to the formation of elastic bitumen, and, 

 to a certain point, allows us to compare tl^e action of a>r on the 

 liquid bitumen, such as naphtha, petroleum, &c with that ot oxy- 

 g2n on the fix^d and volatile oils, which harden by being long 

 in contact with that agent.— (Bulletin des Sciences.) 



Zoology. 

 5 On the Species or Varieties of the Human Race. 

 Linn^us, in his " Systema Naturse," divided man into four 

 varieties, according to the colour of the skin, giving each variety 

 the nam; of the pa°rt of the world where it was most common 

 Dumerille considers that there were six distinct varieties which 

 he names, I. Caucasian, or European Arabs ; 2. Hyperborean 

 3. Mongolian; 4. American; 5. Malay; Ethiopian. Cuvier 

 reduced the number of varieties to three. Virey, in his H story 

 of Man, divided the genus into two species, according to ttie 

 facial angle, noting three varieties, and subvar.eties to each 

 species. ^D^smoulms has lately further divided the genus v^an 

 into eleven species ; and Bory Saint X^incent, in a very elabora^ 

 paper on the varieties and species of this genus, has added tour 

 other species to this extended list, and has given the peculiari- 

 ties, habits, manners, and appearances of each ot the species, 

 and an account of their probable origin. He divided the ge, iis 

 into two sections: the first, he called Lewtridn, or smooth- 

 haired men, which he again subdivides into those which aie 

 peculiar to the Old World, as 1. HomoJapeticns, the sons of Isoah. 

 which he divided into several races ; 2 Homo Arabics, he 

 Arabs; 3. Homo Lidicus, the Hindoos; 4. Homo bc>/thicus the 

 Scythians; 5. Homo Sinicus, the Chinese. Secondly those 

 smooth-haired men which are eommon to he Old and New 

 World, as, 6. Homo Hijperboreus, the Laplandei^ ; 7. Homo 

 Neptunians, the Malays and New Zealanders ; ^-Homo Austra- 

 lalus, the New Hollanders. Thirdly, the straight-haired men 

 which are peculiar to the New World, as, 9. Homo Lobmbicus 

 the Caraibes; 10. Homo Americanus, the Americans; and 

 11. Homo Fatagomcus, the Patagonians. The second section 

 he designates by the name of Oubtridii, or cnsped-ha.red men, 

 which Jre usually called Negroes. The white varieties of this 

 tribe are not known. 12. Homo (Etlnop>cus, the CEthiopian ; 

 13 Homo Caih; the Cafre ; 14. Homo Mdamnus, the Colchin 

 Chinese ; and 15. Homo Hottentotus, the Hottentots. 

 6. On the Plumage of the Oyster Catcher. 

 It is generally considered that the Oyster catcher, the H<zma. 

 topus Ostralogus, Lin. regularly change their plumage at the 

 commencement of winter. Mr. Boie haa lately had reason to 



