142 CHARACTERS OF 



indeed of any animal except man, which could support the 

 body In cqullibrio on one foot only. The causes of this pre- 

 rogative of the human organization will be found in the 

 breadth of his foot, in the resting of its entire surface on 

 the ground, In the bony and muscular strength of the lower 

 extremity, and the length of tlie cervix femoris. 



The foregoing considerations render it very clear that the 

 erect stature is not only a necessary result of the human 

 structure 3 but also, that it is peculiar to man ; and that the 

 differences in the form and arrangement of parts, derived 

 from this source only, are abundantly sufficient to distinguish 

 man by a wide interval from all other animals. The asser- 

 tion of LiNNJEUs *, "Dari simias erecto corpore binis seque 

 ac homo pedibus incedentes, et pedum et manuum minis- 

 terio humanam referentes speciem," is not only unsupported 

 by any authentic testimony concerning animals of the 

 monkey kind, but directly contradicted by all the well- 

 ascertained fiicts relating to those which most nearly re- 

 semble us in stature. 



CHAPTER IV. 



Comjmnson of the Human Head and Teeth to those of Animals. 



When we consider that the head affords a receptacle for 

 the organ of the mind, that it lodges the principal external 

 senses, as well as the instruments for procuring, receiving, 

 masticating, and swallowing the food, and a considerable 

 part of the apparatus employed in producing sound, we shall 

 not be surprised at the striking differences in its construc- 

 tion, at those proportional developements or contractions 

 of its several parts, which determine the faculties and en- 

 dowments of different animals, and their relative rank in 

 the scale of nature. The most convenient position for this 



* Fauna Suecicn; Praefat. 



