22G 



KNOWLEDGE 



[October 1, 1898. 



istic features, including the frizzly hair. All such Negroes 

 are characterized by the elongated form of the skull, and 

 the slight development of the ridges above the eyes, so 

 that the lower part of the forehead is comparatively flat 

 and smooth. The Negrillos of equatorial Africa are 

 best known by the pygmy Akkas, so well described by 

 Schweinfurth and Emin Pasha ; one of the most valuable 

 objects in the ethnological series of the Museum being the 

 skeleton of an Akka woman, collected by the explorer last 

 named. These Negrillos, Hke the Negritos of Asia, diifer 

 from the typical African Negroes, not only by their greatly 

 inferior stature, but likewise by the shorter and more 

 rounded form of their skulls. 



The Oceanic or Melanesian Negroes chiefly differ from 

 their African cousins by the much greater development of 

 the ridges on the forehead of the skull above the sockets 



Head of Papuan Girl, showing the artificial frizzing out of the hair. 

 From a Photograph in the British Museum. 



of the eyes in the male sex. The nose also is less wide 

 and depressed, this feature displaying itself more dis- 

 tinctly as we approach New Guinea and the neighbouring 

 islands. The culmination of this is displayed by the 

 Maories of New Zealand, whose features are so Caucasian- 

 like that some authorities have not hesitated to pronounce 

 these people, to a large extent at least, of Caucasian 

 origin. Their traditions, however, all point to a Melanesian 

 origin. The custom of preserving heads with the skin 

 attached among the Maories, renders specimens readily 

 procurable for exhibition ; although, for purely zoological 

 purposes the tatooing is a sad disfigurement, the examples 

 in which this so-called ornamentation is of the simplest 

 character being consequently the most valuable in a series 

 like that of the Museum. 



The other two branches can receive but very brief men- 

 tion here. In the Mongolian, or yellow and red branch, 

 are comprised the typical Mongols of Asia, such as the 

 Chinese, Tibetans, Tartars, Japanese, etc. ; but to the same 



great branch belong also most of the inhabitants of 

 Siberia, the Eskimo, the Malays, and the so-called brown 

 Polynesians of the eastern Pacific, although, among both 

 the two latter, there are often more or less pronounced 

 indications of an admixture of Negro blood. 



The Finns and Lapps derive their peculiar characters 

 from a cross of Mongol blood with that of the dark 

 Caucasian type. Although by some writers the aboriginal 

 inhabitants of America previous to the immigration of white 

 races from Europe have been regarded as indicating a 

 fourth primitive branch of mankind, the general concensus 

 of opinion points to the propriety of including them in the 

 Mongolian group. And it is especially noteworthy that, 

 as we pass eastwards in Northern Asia in the direction of 

 Bering Sea, the native tribes assume a more and more 

 marked approximation to the native American type. The 

 general ]\Iongolian type of countenance is too well known 

 to require particular description ; the yellow leathery skin, 

 the prominent cheek-bones, oblique eyes, long straight 

 hair on the scalp, and the slight development of hair 

 elsewhere, being among the most conspicuous. American 

 Indians have a redder tint of skin. Curiously enough, 

 the Ainos, or primitive inhabitants of Japan, many of 

 whom still remain in Yezo, differ from this type by their 

 excessive hairiness, in consequence of which it has been 

 thought that they are of Caucasian rather than Mongolian 

 origin. 



Of the Caucasians, or inhabitants of Europe, South- 

 western Asia, and Northern Africa, it must suffice to say 

 that they may be divided into a blonde, or xanthochroic, 

 and a dark, or melanochroic type ; the former being 

 found in Scotland, Scandinavia, Northern Germany and 

 Afghanistan ; while the latter embraces the inhabitants of 

 Southern Europe, the higher races of India, and many of 

 those of North Africa, where, however, there is a large 

 infusion of Negro blood. The Semitic (Arab) and 

 Hamitic (Egyptian and Jews) races are wholly Melano- 

 chroi, but the Aryans belong in part to the Xanthochroi 

 and in part to the !Melanochroi. 



Did space permit, this article might be extended to an 

 indefinite length ; but it is hoped that what has been 

 written may suffice to awaken an interest among the 

 readers of Knowledge in the efforts now being made by 

 the British Museum to establish an ethnological series 

 worthy of the nation to which it belongs. 



THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 



OF ZOOLOGY. 



CAMBRIDGE, 1898. 



THE First International Congress of Zoology was 

 held at Paris in 1889, under the presidency of 

 Prof. Milne-Edwards. The second, which was 

 held at Moscow in 1892, was presided over by 

 Count Kapnist. The third took place at Leyden 

 in 1895, Dr. Jentink being the president. 



The Fourth Congress opened on August 23rd, 1898, under 

 the presidency of the Right Hon. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., 

 M.P., at Cambridge, a place eminently suited for such a 

 Congress, both on account of its historical associations, and 

 as the seat of a great zoological school. 



The University and the Corporation gave the members 

 of the Congress a most hospitable reception, and every 

 comfort and convenience was provided for the large and 

 representative gathering. 



Tuesday, August 23rd. 

 In his Presidential Address, Sir John Lubbock expressed 

 his profound regret at the absence of Sir William Flower, 



