BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 53 



Htan, which have been accurately described anatomically, form a very small per- 

 centage. How many individuals of gorilla uaay exist, in which there may be a 

 similar 'accidental' variety, must remain for a long time unknown to us. Syu- 

 dactylity is often congenital. A case has recently come before my observation of a 

 married female, in ■which the medius and annulus of both hands are firmly connected 

 together by integument. A. similar condition prevails in one of her children ; another 

 has deformity on the right hand ; while the youngest preserves the digits in their 

 normal condition. The speculation whether a like rule or its converse may or may 

 not prevail in the ape, — whether it might not through generations during which 

 the congenital defect of the gorilla, or absence of the characteristic syndactylity, 

 might be transmitted, operate towards the production of a more prehensile form 

 of hand, must, however, be postponed until a vaster series of specimens shall be 

 examined by anthropologists or zoologists." 



' On the Physical and Mental Character of the Negro,' by Dr. J. Hunt. 



This paper brought up Mr Ckaft, a negro of nearly pure black skin, in defence 

 of his race. Mr. Craft said, that as Africans were very dark, and the inhabitants 

 of Northern Europe very fair, and as, moreover, the nations of Southern Europe 

 were much darker than those of Northern Europe, it was perfectly fair to suppose 

 that climate had a tendency to bleach as well as to blacken The thickness of the 

 skulls of the negroes had been wisely arranged by Providence to defend their 

 brains from the tropical climate in which they lived. If God had not given them 

 thick skulls their brains would probably have become very much like those of 

 many scientific gentlemen of the present day. The woolly hair was not considered 

 by Africans as a mark of inferiority, though some of them shaved it off, but it 

 also answered the purpose of defending the head from the sun. With regard to 

 his not being a true African, his grandmother and grandfather were both of pure 

 negro blood. His grandfather was a chief of the West Coast ; but, through the 

 treachery of some white men, who doubtless thought themselves greatly his supe- 

 riors, he was kidnapped and taken to America, where he (Mi. Craft) was born. 

 He had recently been fo Africa on a visit to the King of Dahomey. He found 

 there considerable diversities even among the Africans themselves. Those of 

 Sierra Leone had prominent, almcst Jewish features. Their heels were quite as 

 short, generally, as those of any other race, and upon the whole they were well 

 formed. Persons who had any knowledge of Africans knew that, when they en- 

 joyed advantages, they were capable of making good use of them. He might refer 

 to the instance of the little girl brought to this country by Capt. Forbes, Thia 

 child was presented to the Queen, who had her carefully educated. When she 

 grew up, she mingled in good society, and interested every one by her proficiency 

 in music ; and recently she had been married to a commercial gentleman of colour 

 at Lagos. Another case was mentioned by Mr. Chambers in one of his works ; 

 and another ease was that of Mr. Crowther, who was well known to many gentle- 

 men in this country. One word with reference to the ancient Britons. When 

 Julius Caesar came to this country, he said of the natives that they were such 

 stupid people that they were not fit to make slaves of in Rome. It had taken a 

 long time to make Englishmen what they now were, and therefore it was not 

 wonderful if the negroes made slow progress in intellectual development. It 

 was, however, proved, that they made very rapid progress when placed in advan- 



