TO RELATIVE CAPACITY OF RACES. 189 



ledge to Mm. He is familiar with tlie habits of animals, and the 

 medicinal virtues of many plants ; will find his way through the 

 forest by noting the special side of the trunks on which certain 

 lichens growj and follow the tracks of his game, or discover the nests 

 of birds, by indications which would escape the most observant 

 naturalist. The Australian savage, stimulated apparently to an 

 unwonted ingenuity by the privations of an arid climate, is the 

 inventor of two wonderfully ingenious implements, the wommera or 

 throwing stick, and the homerang, which, when employed by the 

 native expert, accomplish feats entirely beyond any efibrts of European 

 skill. Moreover, as Professor Huxley remarks, he " can make 

 excellent baskets and nets, and neatly fitted and beautifully balanced 

 spears ; he learns to use these so as to be able to transfix a quar- 

 tern loaf at sixty yards; and very often, as in the case of the 

 American Indians, the language of a savage exhibits complexities 

 which a well-trained European finds it difficult to master." Again 

 he goes on to say : " Consider that every time a savage tracks his 

 game he employs a minuteness of observation, and an accuracy of 

 inductive and deductive reasoning which, applied to other matters 

 would assure some reputation to a man of science, and I think we 

 need ask no further why he possesses such a fair supply of brains. 

 In complexity and difficulty, I should say that the intellectual labour 

 of a good hunter or warrior considerably exceeds that of an ordinary 

 Englishman." Hence Professor Huxley is not prepared to admit that 

 the American or Australian savage possesses in his braiu a mental 

 organ which he fails to turn to full account. But without entering 

 on the questions of evolution and natural selection in all theii' com- 

 prehensive bearings, it is still apparent that the brain of the savage 

 is an instrument of great capacity, employed within narrow limits. 

 In estimating the comparative size of the brain, it is seen to be 

 necessary to discriminate between individuals or races of small stature 

 and cases of true microcephaly. On the other hand, it is not to be 

 overlooked that examples of idiocy are not rare where the head is of 

 a fair average size, and where the mental imbecility is regarded as 

 congenital. But in this as in other researches of the physiologist, he 

 is limited in his observations mainly to the chance opportunities 

 which offer for study ; and not unfrequently the prejudices of affection 

 arrest the hajid of the student, and prevent a post mortem examination 



