MANIFESTED IN HUMAN SOCIETY 107 



contemplating these big-framed, slow-thinking people, 

 possessing very little nervous energy, and very fertile, 

 it is impossible not to be struck by the analogy with 

 the big-framed, sluggish queen bee. Take an average 

 married couple and place them in the midst of a large city 

 with a comfortable income, and their children will prob- 

 ably grow up into men and women of medium physique, 

 of active habits, both mental and physical, and of very 

 moderate fertility. Place the same couple away in the 

 back-veldt of South Africa, leading a life of extreme 

 simplicity, and with plenty of simple food, and their 

 children will grow up into big-framed, sluggish-minded, 

 and very fertile individuals. 



People of all races who lead a simple and mentally 

 inactive life seem to develop big frames, provided, of 

 course, that they are also well fed. Even among small 

 peoples, such as the Japanese, the country people are 

 of large physique compared with those of the towns. 

 A complex environment leading to incessant mental 

 activity results in smaller physical development, other 

 things equal. It appears that nutrition is diverted from 

 the muscular tissues and bony framework to the purpose 

 of maintaining the costly nervous system. 



Of course, nervous development does not necessarily 

 lead to a small stature. Much will depend on the amount 

 of food, and also the inherited type. The Americans, 

 who are conspicuous for nervous energy, are a bigger 

 race than the French, and a much bigger race than the 

 Japanese, who, taken as a race, are not an outstanding 

 example of nervous energy. But the Americans are 

 big eaters, particularly of meat, one of the richest in 

 proteids of all foods. The French are somewhat frugal 

 eaters, whilst the rations of the Japanese are notoriously 

 small. Again, it is observed that the wealthy classes 



