THE CAUSES OF SMALL SIZE 239 



There is, in fact, no reason to suppose that a pygmy race 

 ever existed in Europe, though, of course, individuals of 

 exceptionally small stature are often produced, and in 

 some regions the whole population is shorter than it is in 

 others. 



A very interesting question in connection with the origin 

 and significance of pygmy races of men is, "Why is any 

 race smaller in size than another?" Every species 

 among the higher animals has its standard size from which 

 only in the rarest cases are there departures. That in 

 itself is a curious fact. How was the standard size 

 determined, and how is it maintained ? The whole 

 question lies there. At first sight it seems to many people 

 quite simple to account for " pygmies " ; they will tell you 

 that the poor creatures are half-starved and so unable to 

 grow to full size. That explanation does not, however, 

 meet the case, for the African and Asiatic pygmy races 

 are just as well nourished as most of their neighbours. 

 Also if we look a little further we find that the women of 

 every race are smaller than the men, and often much 

 smaller. That is not because they are ill-nourished as 

 compared with the men. And, again, we find very closely 

 similar species of animals existing side by side, one a 

 large species and the other a small one, having the same 

 opportunities of obtaining regular nourishment. There 

 are many instances, but take for example the beautiful 

 Great Koodoo antelope of Africa, with its fine spiral horns, 

 which measures 5ft. at the shoulder, and the Little Koodoo, 

 a complete miniature of it existing alongside of it, and 

 standing only 3ft. 5 in. at the shoulder. Take the two 

 common white butterflies of this country, the Large White 

 and the Small White, also the Large Tortoiseshell butter- 

 fly and the small. Take the instance of many plant 

 genera of which larger and smaller species are found 



