84 LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 



unfavourable conditions, Metchnikoff worked inde- 

 fatigably. The physical measurements of the Kalmuks 

 led him to conclude that the development of the 

 Mongol race was arrested in comparison with that of 

 the Caucasian race ; he found that all the relative 

 proportions of the diverse parts of the Kalmuk skeleton 

 corresponded with that of youth in the Caucasian 

 race : a large head, a long torso, short legs, absolutely 

 the relative dimensions of our children. This con- 

 clusion was further confirmed by the structure of the 

 eyelid in the Kalmuks, of which the fold (epicanthus) 

 in the adult corresponds with that of the fold of the 

 eyelid in our children. 



These interesting results somewhat raised Metch- 

 nikofi's moral, the more so that his eyesight began 

 to improve ; he returned to Odessa but found that 

 he was still unable to use a microscope. He therefore 

 decided to go back to the steppes in order to proceed 

 with his researches, and, this time, began his journey 

 by the Stavropol province. The steppes there are 

 very fine, with tall, luxuriant grasses and a profusion 

 of flowers filling the pure atmosphere with perfume ; 

 the infinite space and absolute calm offer a peculiar 

 and powerful charm. But the population is depressed 

 and apathetic, as is the case with that of the Astrakhan 

 steppes. The reason must be that the Kalmuks con- 

 sume milk which has undergone alcoholic fermen- 

 tation, and that provokes a slight but chronic intoxi- 

 cation. Yet a few among them are extremely 

 intelligent and of fairly high culture. Thus, in the 

 course of his ethnographical researches Metchnikoff 

 came across a priest (baksha) who imparted to him 

 such instructive facts on the principles of the Buddhist 

 religion and on the organisation of its clergy that he 



