270 EEPOKT — 1882. 



First Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor Flower, 

 Dr. Beddoe, Mr. Brabrook, Mr. F. Gtalton, Mr. J. Park Harri- 

 son {Secretary), Dr. Muirhead, Greneral Pitt-Rivers, Mr. F. W. 

 RuDLER, and Mr. Charles Roberts, aiypointecl for the purpose of 

 obtaining Photographs of the Typical Races in the British Isles. 



Owing to the accumulation of observations of height, weight, and 

 other physical characteristics of the inhabitants of the British Isles, the 

 discussion of which required the undivided attention of the Anthropo- 

 metric Committee, the acquisition of photographs undertaken by them in 

 1876 was last year transferred to a Committee of the Anthropological 

 Department. 



The photographic portraits already collected have been handed over 

 to the new Committee, and will assist materially in determining the 

 values of crosses in different parts of the country. Some, obtained under 

 exceptionally favourable circumstances, and especially seventeen portraits 

 of Shetland islanders, well illustrating the Scandinavian element in the 

 population, and presented by Dr. Muirhead, may be safely termed 

 typical. 



The scientific hearing of the subject. — A clear definition of racial 

 features, illustrated by examples, will, the Committee believe, prove of 

 considerable importance in connection with more than one social question. 



1. First ; as tending to allay national animosities springing from a 

 belief in the preponderance of some one race ; and, in connection with 

 this affording a safe basis for generalisation, in the place of deductions 

 depending on doubtful traditions and insufficient historical data. 



2. A correct description of the main racial types would also afford an 

 opportunity of testing in a more complete manner than is now practic- 

 able the truth of views, believed to be extensively held, on the. subject of 

 racial tendencies and proclivities. 



3. Indirectly ; by indicating the way in which features, and more 

 especially profiles, of human beings should be observed, it would lead to 

 a more exact description of criminals and deserters ; resulting, it cannot 

 be doubted, in more frequent arrests. At present, so little attention is 

 paid to the subject that photographs of prisoners are taken solely in full 

 face • and the description of recruits for the military rolls is confined, so 

 far as their features are concerned, to the colour of the hair and eyes. 



The popular view regarding the possihility of a. survival of racial features 

 at the present day. — Before proceeding further, the Committee think it 

 will be well to notice an objection, not infrequently made, that European 

 populations are now too mach mixed to allow of racial types being recog- 

 nised. This is not the belief of anthropologists generally. Professor 

 Rolleston — whose loss this Committee has especial reason to deplore — 

 expressed no uncertain opinion on the subject in his address to the 

 Anthropological Department at Bristol. ' At once, upon the first inspec- 

 tion of a series of crania, or, indeed, of heads, from such a (mixed) race,' 

 he said it was evident that ' some were referable to one, some to another, 

 of one, two, or three typical forms : ' also that intercrossing has left the 

 originally distinct forms still in something like their original indepen- 

 dence, ' and in the possession of an overwhelming numerical representa-. 



