178 REPORT 1859. 



many of the lower animals, is also a peculiarity of many of trie tribes of India, — those 

 called, for the sake of distinction, Turanian. The Kols, the Bhils, the Gonds are all 

 fine and healthy races of men. The Negro tribes inhabiting the great river-districts 

 about the Gulf of Benin enjoy the same immunity; whilst Europeans cannot at all 

 withstand the atmospheric poison, as was proved in a most lamentable manner by the 

 Niger Expedition of 1841. When negroes are transported across the Atlantic, this 

 extraordinary property still adheres to them, proving that it does not arise from any 

 external influence whatever, but is an essential inherent quality. In the Southern 

 States of America the negroes are almost insusceptible of malarious diseases, marsh 

 fevei-s, and that pestilence, the yellow fever. And a still further proof of this being 

 an original property of the race is afforded by the fact, that, among the mixed breeds, 

 every degree, even the smallest, of African blood tends to diminish the susceptibility 

 to these diseases. It is a physiological attribute of these malaria-resisting races of 

 men, their blood being possessed of some chemical property or some vital force which 

 counteracts and overcomes the morbific cause, and which is not further explicable. 

 That it is native, inherent, and also incommunicable, except through the blood, cannot 

 be questioned ; and that it indicates essential differences among human races, too subtle 

 for the scalpel of the anatomist to reveal, and far too recondite for the zoologist to ap- 

 preciate, — still congenita], demonstrable and ineffaceable, — is a matter well deserving 

 the attention of anthropologists, especially as all the facts known afford no countenance 

 to the assumption that these differences result from any secondary causes whatever. 

 Negroes, so far from exhibiting any remarkable vigour of constitution, are always 

 characterized, in all climates, by the prevalence of an asthenic type in their diseases ; 

 and the self-deluding presumed influence of vast lapse of time in developing resistance 

 could in this case operate only in an opposite way, and that cumulatively and destruc- 

 tively, by impairing, debilitating, and deteriorating every succeeding generation more 

 and more. 



The paper was concluded by a description of the physical characters of the tribes 

 inhabiting the Tarai, which was illustrated by a series of good coloured drawings, 

 executed by a native artist, born in the great valley of Nepal. 



On Meteorology, with reference to Travelling, and the Measurement of the 

 Height of Mountains. By Admiral FitzRoy. 



On the Ethnology and Hieroglyphics of the Caledonians. 

 By Col. J. Forbes. 

 The author developed his views regarding what are called " Druid circles " in 

 the following propositions : — 1. Whether found singly or in groups, those circles not 

 surrounding moot-hills or tumuli were erected for places of worship. They were also 

 used as places for the administration of justice, and for the assembly of councils. 2. 

 The number of stones in these fanes had reference to the number of individuals or 

 families ; and perhaps, in circles of greater proportions, were according to the num- 

 ber of towns or tribes to be represented in the councils, or benefited by the sacrifices 

 at any particular cromlech. .'5. Some of the cromlechs contained altars within the 

 area. Occasionally the altars formed part of the enclosing circle, and in other cases 

 the altars were outside of the circle. 4. In the same fane there were altars to more 

 than one deity. 5. The origin of these fanes cannot be traced in any country; and 

 nowhere, except in the Old Testament, does history or rational tradition fix the period 

 when, or the people by whom, any one of these monuments was erected. 6. Open 

 to the weather, incapable of being covered, and with long avenues of approach, the 

 form of these fanes has apparently been devised in Eastern countries possessing a 

 clear sky and warm climate. 7. These heathen fanes of Britain were afterwards 

 used as places of Christian worship, but cattle continued to be sacrificed in them. 

 8. These fanes were also used as burying-grounds for Christians. 



Description of Ghadames. By Consul S. Freeman. 



