CHAP. VI.] MAN. 185 



formed from a single pair.&quot; Those men of science who 

 believe that all animals whatever sprang but from a few 

 separate stocks can hardly dispute the singleness of man s 

 origin. Those, on the other hand, who share my views as to 

 the frequently independent origin of different structures may 

 dispute it. The arguments however here advanced in favour 

 of man s unity of nature lend support to the unity of his origin. 

 That original man should have been of a lighter colour than 

 the existing darkest races, and without woolly hair, is indi 

 cated (at least on evolutionary principles) by the facts of de 

 velopment in such races. Mr. Darwin tells us * &quot; the new 

 born negro child is reddish nut-brown, which soon becomes 

 slaty-gray.&quot; ...&quot; The eyes of the negro are at first blue, 

 and the hair chestnut-brown rather than black, being curled 

 only at the ends.&quot; 



As to the origin of variations in colour, we may, as Mr. 

 Darwin says,t &quot; well reflect &quot; . . . &quot; on the remarkable 

 changes of colour in the plumage of parrots,&quot; fed on special 

 food or inoculated with toad poison, &quot;for we can thus see 

 that the fluids of the system, if altered for some special 

 purpose, might induce other strange changes.&quot; 



In the present state of science, and especially in that of 

 the controversy as to specific origin, it would be a work of 

 supererogation to insist upon the probability, almost amount 

 ing to certainty, of the common origin of the whole human 

 race. The question may at least be left until such time as 

 good evidence may be forthcoming of the sterility inter se 

 of the descendants of cross-breeds between two widely 

 distinct families of mankind. 



But what should be our final verdict as to the main ques 

 tion here considered that of the origin of man? wtatshaii 

 We have seen that no arguments adduced by any Beta s tJf 



Till man s origin. 



of the writers quoted suffice to make probable ins 



origin from speechless, irrational, non-moral brutes. But 



there is evidence to be adduced from high authority directly 



* Descent of Man, vol. ii. p. 318. t Op. tit. p. 152. 



