IN THE HUMAN SPECIES. 243 



The characters of the Albino arise from a deficiency of 

 the colouring principle, common to the skin, hair, and eyes. 

 Thus the former has the hue, which its cellular and vascu- 

 lar contexture produces ; the hair is reduced to its simple 

 organic groundwork ; and in the eyes, which are entirely 

 destitute of pigmentum, the colour of the iris depends on 

 the fine vessels which arc so numerous in its composi- 

 tion, and that of the pupil on the still ^greater number of 

 capillaries which almost entirely form the choroid mem- 

 brane. 



The close connexion of these parts, in respect to their 

 colour, is evidenced by the fact that neither is ever sepa- 

 rately affected. 



The state of the eyes is the principal source of inconve- 

 nience. The absence of the black pigment, which has the 

 important office of absorbing superfluous portions of light, 

 renders the eye preternaturally sensible of this stimulus. 

 Strong lights affect the organ painfully ; even the glare of 

 open day is too much. Hence the eyelids are more or less 

 closed ; the eyes are described as weak and tender, and 

 sometimes as affected with chronic lippitudo. These evils 

 are balanced, in some measure, by superior power of vision 

 in twilight, dusk, or imperfect darkness. "Ad nocturnam 

 quidem caliginem, non magis quidquam discernere poterant 

 ac alii homines. In crepusculo autem, et ad lunae debili- 

 orem lucem, longe acutius ac vulgo possumus videbant. 

 Fulgida vero lux, sive meridiana sereno caelo, sive cande- 

 larum aliusve ignis, non quidem per se valde molestus ipsis 

 videbatur, verum plane inutilis ; cum quidem eandem sine 

 graviore incommodo aut dolore perferre possent, non aliter 



tolerantia, quam praesertim post variolas ortam narrabant custodes. Cilia et 

 superciiia pallide flava, et capillitium totum ejusdem quidem colons (blond) 

 pallide flavi, at penitus in densissimos clrcinnos crispatum, et duriusculam 

 iEthlopis lanam ad amussira referens. Hebeti videbatur ingenio, et pudi- 

 bunda spectatores admittebat ; sanissima caeteroquin et egregia corporis 

 proportione. Cognatos omnes nigerrimos iEthiopes habuisse dicebatur.'» 

 Novce Species Quadrupedunij pp. 10—11. Noten. 



R 2 



