DIFFERENCES IN THE ANIMAL ECONOMY. 397 



Accurate observers in many parts of the world have re- 

 marked, that the dark races are characterized by the rare- 

 ness, and almost entire absence, of personal deformity; all 

 the individuals being well-made, and many exhibiting the 

 finest models of symmetry and beauty. The mode of life 

 will account in great measure for this physical prerogative, 

 which hunting, pastoral, and even agricultural tribes, enjoy 

 over their more polished brethren of highly-civilized com- 

 munities and larg 2 cities *. Humboldt considers that some- 

 thing is also due to natural strength of constitution. After 

 stating the great freedom from deformity in the Peruvian 

 Indians, in a passage which I have already quoted ( see p. 

 206), he proceeds to observe, that " when we examine 

 savage hunters or warriors, we are tempted to believe that 

 they are all well-made, because those who have any natural 

 deformity either perish from fatigue, or are exposed by 

 their parents ; but the Mexican and Peruvian Indians, those 

 of Quito and New Grenada, are agriculturists, who can only 

 be compared with the class of European peasantry. We 

 can have no doubt, then, that the absence of natural 

 deformities among them is the effect of their mode of life, 

 and of the constitution peculiar to their race. All men of 

 very swarthy complexion, those of Mongol and American 

 origin, and especially tlie Negroes, participate in the same 

 advantage. We are inclined to believe that the Arab- Euro- 

 pean [Caucasian] race possesses a greater flexibility of 

 organization; and that it is more easily modified by a great 

 number of exterior causes, such as variety of aliments, cli- 

 mates, and habits ; and consequently has a greater tendency 

 to deviate from its original model f." 



I am not aware that any difference has been ascertained 

 between the various races of man in the average length of 



* Thus Dr. SoMERvix LE says of the Hottentots ; " Huic genti, fasciarum 

 in infantibus, pileorum in setate provectioribus, nuUus iisns, Deformitas raris- 

 siraa est, nisi ex casu aliqiio- Thorav amplus, corpus erectum, artiis torosi 

 et agiliores multo quam facile crediderlnt quibus vcstitus arctior est famlli- 

 aris." Med.co-Chir. Trans, v. vii. p. loG. 



f Political Essni/, v. i. p. 152-3. 



