THE INFLUENCE OF HYBRIDITY. 97 



not be fitted to become the founder of a series of individuals 

 similar to itself, succeeding it through time, " naturally, re- 

 gularly, and indefinitely."* 



Putting on one side the power of reproduction, we must at- 

 tend solely to the union of different human races with regard 

 to vitality of produce, and let us see what observation will 

 teach us on this subject. 



Jacquinot states, that " one can scarcely quote any cross 

 between Australians and Europeans." When the ancient in- 

 habitants of Van Diemen's Land, reduced to the number of 

 two hundred and ten, were taken from Flinder's Island, not 

 only had the union of the women with the unscrupulous con- 

 victs been unable to form a distinct race, but only two adults 

 were found who were the produce of these unions, f 



" The Mulattoes," says Nott, " are the shortest-lived of any 

 of the branch races ; when they unite amongst themselves, 

 they are less prolific than if united to one or other of the 

 branches. J" This assertion is especially true concerning the 

 cross-breeds born of Negroes and inhabitants of the north of 

 Europe. At Java, crosses between Malays and Dutch appear 

 not to be able to reproduce beyond the third generation." 

 " The half-caste of India," says Warren, " comes to a prema- 

 ture end, generally without reproduction ; and if there are any 

 offspring, they are always wretched and miserable." || 



We must say another word about Isidore Geoffrey Saint- 

 Hilaire's opinion on the important question of cross-breeding 

 in mankind. After having reproached Cuvier, and with rea- 

 son, with having often, in the interest of particular views, 

 admitted, as regards mankind, a flagrant contravention of the 

 biological laws which his genius proclaimed for other animals, 



* Words borrowed from the definition of species by Isidore Geoffroy, His- 

 toire Naturelle Generate, vol. ii, p. 437. " The act which appears most natural 

 to living beings who are perfect, and who are not abortive, nor produced by 

 spontaneous generation, is the production of a being like themselves, the 

 animal producing an animal, the plant a plant, so as to participate in the 

 eternal and divine nature as much as they can." De I'dme, book ii, chap, iv, 

 2, transl. by Barthelemy Saint-Hilaire. 



f Nott and Gliddon, Indigenous Races of the Earth, p. 443. 



J Nott and Gliddon, Types of Mankind, p. 373, 1854. 



See Boudin, Gtographie Mtdicale, Introduction, p. 39. 



|| See Morel, Traitd des Drgi'ner.escences. 



