DIVISIONS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. XXXIX 



supposed to present the characters most typical of the group. 

 Similarities of speech, customs, and traditions, strongly indi- 

 cate a common lineage of these people, and we naturally 

 look to some region of Western Asia as the great centre 

 whence they have been spread. Let us assume for the mo- 

 ment that this region is near to the western termination of 

 the great Himalaya range, termed Hindu-koh, signifying 

 literally the Indian Mountain, and corresponding in part 

 with the ancient Aria, and that the race spread itself south- 

 ward beyond the Indus, northward to near the Arctic Circle, 

 westward into Arabia, and, by the Don and Bosphorus, to the 

 extremities of Europe, and again into Africa by the Isthmus 

 of Suez and the Red Sea ; and then we may understand the 

 meaning of the term Caucasian as it has been employed by 

 some, and Arian by others, to designate a great section of 

 the human family. In this sense, the Arian or Caucasian 

 Family comprehended the ancient Hindoos, who are supposed 

 to have migrated southward beyond the Scinde ; the Assy- 

 rians, Medes, and Persians, who founded early empires in 

 the East ; the Scythians and others, who migrated north- 

 ward, and were afterwards known in Europe as Goths, Scan- 

 dinavians, Sarmatians, &c. ; the ancient Chaldeans, Arme- 

 nians, Phoenicians, and other people, formerly inhabiting 

 Asia Minor and Syria; the Arabians of Asia and Africa; 

 the Celtse, Iberi, and other early colonists of Europe, who 

 are supposed to have migrated westward from the countries 

 south of the Euxine ; the Greeks, the Latins, and others, 

 who occupied the same countries at a subsequent age. 

 Amongst these people a certain relation exists, in customs as 

 well as languages employed, from early times. Thus, traces 

 of the Sanscrit, of which a dialect is still spoken near the 

 Hindu-koh, is found in the Scandinavian and German lan- 

 guages of Northern, and in the Celtic of Western, Europe. 

 Further, the members of this group are supposed to be dis- 

 tinguished from all the others by certain physical and psychi- 

 cal characters. Their complexion varies with the climate, 



