28 NATURAL HISTORY. 



the most part, Europe, the western part of Asia, and the 

 United States. It is characterized by the oval shape of 

 the face, a considerable variety of color both of the skin 

 and the hair, and mental superiority. It is called Cauca- 

 sian, from the Caucasian Mountains, in the neighborhood 

 of which this race was at first settled. Even at the pres- 

 ent day it is said that the external characteristics of this 

 race are better developed in that locality than any where 

 else, the Georgians and Circassians being the handsomest 

 people in the world. The negro, or Ethiopian variety, I 

 need not describe. The Mongolian race, of which the 

 Chinese are the largest family, is characterized by prom- 

 inent broad cheek-bones, a flat square face, small oblique 

 eyes, straight black hair, a scanty beard, and olive skin. 

 The American variety has high cheek-bones, large and 

 bold features, except the eyes, which are sunken deeply 

 in the sockets, hair generally black and stiff, and a cop- 

 per complexion. In the Malay race, inhabiting the isl- 

 ands south of Asia, in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the 

 complexion is brown, the hair is black and thick, the 

 forehead is low and round, the nose is full and broad 

 with wide nostrils, and the mouth is large. 



40. So great is the difference between these varieties, 

 especially the Caucasian and the Ethiopian, that some 

 believe that they came originally from different pairs. 

 But the Bible declares that they were all descended from 

 one pair, and almost all physiologists consider this to be 

 also proved by a candid examination of facts. The dif- 

 ferent races of man are not more distinct from each other 

 than the varieties of dogs and other animals. It is a re- 

 markable fact that animals which remain wild are not 

 apt to have varieties, while in those which are domestic- 

 ated by man different breeds or varieties arise. Thus 

 lions and tigers remain always the same, but dogs, horses, 

 etc., have many varieties. So it is with man. Under the 

 various influences to which he is subjected in society, in 

 different ages and localities, varieties are produced. 



