REVIEWS — NATURAL HISTORY OF CEYLON. 347 



Esquimaux, though claiming no share among the historical races of 

 the world, and exercising no influence on the political relations of the 

 Eastern and Western hemispheres, nevertheless occupy a remarkable 

 position as the only people common alike to Asia and America. As the 

 hyperborean type of the human race, they have usually been described 

 as dwarfish and stunted. Dr. Latham especially refers to the phy- 

 sical diiference between the Esquimaux and American Indians a3 

 constituting, along with the difficulties of their language, a valid 

 basis of reasoning upon the difficult question as to how America was 

 peopled. In defining those physical diiferences, he remarks: " Stunted 

 as he is in stature, the Esquimaux is essentially a jNIongol in physiog- 

 nomy. His nose is flattened, his cheek-bones project, his eyes are 

 often oblique, aud his skin is more yellow and brown than red or cop- 

 per-coloured." But Mr. Kirkby describes the Esquimaux whom he 

 came in contact with as tall, active, remarkably strong, with heavy 

 beards and a profusion of whiskers ; while their complexions were so 

 fair that his Indian guides compared them to Europeans. The fea- 

 tures, especially of the women, are also referred to as regular and 

 well-formed ; while the privations to which they are exposed appear to 

 have quickened their natural intelligence, so as to place them in that 

 respect greatly in advance of the Red Indians bordering on the Arctic 

 Circle. With opportunities so favourable for carrying on minute 

 observations on the tribes of the North Western regions, noting their 

 languages, and witnessing their native arts and customs, we may anti- 

 cipate many valuable contributions to this department of science, 

 when such labours are systematised, and guided in the most important 

 directions of inquiry, by the combined exertions of those who are now 

 happily organising a Scientific Institute for the North West. 



REVIEWS 



Sketches of the Natural History of Ceylon ; with Narratives and 

 Anecdotes illustrative of the Habits and Instincts of the Mam- 

 malia, Birds, Reptiles, Fishes, Insects, &c. ; including a Mono- 

 graph on the Elephant, and a description of the modes of cap- 

 turing and taming it. With engravings from original drawings. 



