IS NATURAL HISTORY OF 



of tongues or dialects is more complete, the degree of 

 affinity they should bear, without entirely dismissing 

 from the question the fact, that nations at times adopt 

 a new language, to the total extinction of the tongue 

 spoken by their ancestors. It is in cases of this kind 

 that the records of national superstitions, legends, man- 

 ners, and even proverbs, become, in their turn, elements 

 of interest to guide and correct the research. Finally, 

 when to these are added the ancient migrations which 

 the different families of man have passed through, under 

 the various conditions imposed upon them by geogra- 

 phical necessities, conclusions more or less satisfactory 

 may be drawn, even where, as yet, little or no positive 

 historical information is available, to substantiate them 

 by direct reference to written authority. 



When, however, we endeavour to ascend up to the 

 primeval period of man's creation, and the distribution 

 of his species on the surface of the earth, the resources 

 already pointed out will be found insufficient without 

 the aid of geology, particularly when on the subject of 

 the tertiary and alluvial strata, which contain organic 

 remains of vertebrata ; and, most of all, when these 

 are found to be of mammalia, whose orders and genera, 

 nay species, are still existing in the same localities, or 

 in a more remote climate : because it is in the same 

 deposits of bones that the remains of man occur, though 

 rarely ; and their character and race is the subject of 

 dispute. 



From the point of view wherein we propose to ex- 

 amine the .natural history of mankind, it will perhaps- 



