ETHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH. 371 



in other countries. Hence our astonisliment that so much has been done, and 

 at the same time so well done. It is accompanied by an ethnographic chart, 

 handsomely executed, showing the geographic distribution of all the Indian 

 tribes of Mexico. He descends much more into detail than Waitz, who gives 

 to Mexico but a few families, while Orozco divides them into eleven distinct 

 families of languages, leaving sixteen unclassified, and sixty-two idioms, com- 

 prising in all two hundred and seventy-six languages and seven hundred and 

 twenty nine tribes within the limits of that country. 



Notwithstanding all this seeming minutiai and accuracy of Orozco, we find 

 other explorers adding new light. For instance. Dr. Berendt, who, you are 

 aware, has spent many years in that country, at the same time enjoying the 

 rare advantage of understanding the Maya language, which enables him to add 

 much new information, and also to correct some of the errors into which the pa- 

 tient Orozco has fallen. 



I am now convinced that from all these som-ces a much better ethnological 

 chart can be constructed than now exists — one that would reflect credit upon 

 America. Cannot you accomplish this desirable end by calling to your aid the 

 combined results of modern explorers, such as Berendt, Gibbs, Morgan, and 

 others ? Let them, singly or combined, contribute each their mite to the general 

 stock, which must result in benefit to all. 



* * * * Some of our army surgeons have contributed considerably to 

 anthropology by the statistics they have collected on the measurements of the 

 different races. But much more reliable information might have been obtained 

 by concert of action, and by adopting a more complete and uniform system of 

 measurements. In examining this subject, at the request of members of the 

 Sanitary Commission, I came to the conclusion that the German method of 

 Scherzer and Schwarz was the most scientific, yet it needs some modification to 

 adapt it to our more practical and less patient people. I have copied it, and 

 shall send it for your inspection, notwithstanding you may have seen it, if you 

 have received Dr. Carl Vcjgt's Lectures on Man, which have been translated 

 and published by the Anthropological Society of London. 

 I remain, most respectfully, yours, &c., 



E. H. DAVIS. 



Professor Henry. 



TABLE OF MEASUREMENT BY SCHERZER AND SCHWARZ. 

 1. — GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 



[Name, sex, native country, occupation, shape and growth of beard, &c.] 



No. of the 

 systematic BerioB. 



1. Age of the individual measured 1 



2. Color of the hair 2 



3. Color of eyes 3 



4. Number of pulsations in a minute 4 



5. Weight 5 



6. Pressing power, (force manuelle,) measured with the dynamometer of 



Rcgnier 6 



7. Lifting power, (force renalej measured with the dynamometer of Rcgnier 7 



8. Total height 8 



11. — MEASUREMENTS WITH THE PLUMMET AND METRE-SCALE. 



9. Distance of the commencement of the growth of the hair on the forehead 



from the perpendicular 9 



10, Distance of the root of the nose from the perpendicular 10 



