aiGHTHANDEDNESS. 199 



plication of language to speak of any specially skilful use of it as an 

 act of dexterity. 



But the whole enquiry has to be reviewed ah initio, and various 

 questions involved in it invite reconsideration. Is the superiority of 

 the right hand over the left innate and congenital ? Are there organic 

 or constitutional reasons for the general preference ? Or is it solely the 

 result of acquired habit, eonsequent|on the recognised convenience of 

 simultaneous uniformity of action among members of the same com- 

 munity ? A further question of considerable interest also invites 

 inquiry, viz. : Is right or left handedness, however acquired, trans- 

 mitted hereditarily ? 



The statistics of this enquiry have yet to be collected. Very different 

 opinions have been expressed as to the proportion of left to right- 

 handedness, and such evidence as exists seems to point to considerable 

 variations in this respect at different times and among diverse nations. 

 The general prevalence of righthandedness among savage nations is 

 still a mere assumption. Its manifestations, apart from combined 

 operations, in the rude arts of savage life, are obscure, and not likely 

 to attract attention, unless sought for. But in their languages terms 

 are to be met with, showing at an early stage the preferential use of 

 one hand. Even in the rudest state of society, man as a tool-using 

 animal has this habit engendered in him; and as he progresses in 

 civilization, and improves on his first rude weapons and implements, 

 there must arise an inevitable tendency to give the preference to one 

 hand over the other, not only in combined action, but from the neces- 

 sity of adapting certain tools to the hand. The Maories of New 

 Zealand manifest a general righthandedness in the use of the musket, 

 even in their wild war dances. Whether this should be regarded as 

 an acquired European practice — no more, in fact, than a modified 

 " Manual Exercise," with what is practically a right-handed instru- 

 ment, — or as the adaptation of native habits to a novel weapon, might 

 seem of difficult solution ; but it will be seen that the native language 

 retains the evidence of right-handedness wholly independent of Euro- 

 pean influence. 



The musket is fitted for a habitually right-handed people. So, in 

 like manner, the adze, the plane, the gimlet, the screw, and other 

 mechanical tools, must be adapted to one or the other hand. Scissors, 

 snuffers, shears, and other implements specially requiring the action of 

 the thumb and fingers, are all made for the right hand. A clasp-knife 



