90 INTRODUCTION. 



exception followed by the same consequences in the whole class of 

 animal* The prominence of the chin (or its receding) is charac- 

 teristic of races of men and animals, and is proportioned to the rank 

 they hold in t lie scale of being. Again, the posterior portion of the 

 os calcis is longer in the Negro than in the European. This enables 

 the muscles of the calf of the leg to act with belter advantage on the 

 foot, the lever being better fiom the length of the heel. Less mus- 

 cular force is required for the movements of the foot on the leg, in 

 walking, &c, and hence the constant comparative flatness of the 

 Negro calf, the size of a muscle being proportioned to its exercise. 

 In an animal this would be considered of specific value. According 

 to Dr. Knox,* in the colored races the nerves of the limbs are one 

 third less than in the Saxon of the same height. lie quotes Tiede- 

 rnann as having informed him " that he had every reason to believe 

 that the native Australian race differed in an extraordinary manner 

 from the European ; that this is the case with the Hottentot and 

 Bosjeman race has been long known." He says, the whole shape 

 of the skeleton in the dark races differs from ours, as also " the 

 forms of almost every muscle in the body." We have already seen 

 the great differences in the shape of the pelvis in the different races, 

 to which Drs. Vrolik and Weber paid great attention, in the belief 

 that its shape must have some influence on the conformation of the 

 foetal head. They discovered four principal forms, corresponding to 

 the cranial formation of the principal races. The oval form of the 

 European, the round form of the American, the square form of the 

 Mongolian, and the oblong form of the African races. The last 

 showing unmistakable signs of degradation, and an approach to the 

 pelvis of the Si/nitf. 



It is highly probable that future investigations will detect other 

 differences in the comparative osteology of the races, which will 

 present strong claims to be regarded as specific distinctions 



The diversity of the human races is by some attributed to acciden- 

 tal varieties, from whom individuals, tribes, and nations have 

 sprung. If mankind were originally white, the negroes must have 

 arisen from such an accidental variety. This, according to Dr. 

 Morton, is Prichard's latest view. It is a mere supposition ; for 

 nobody ever saw or knew a Negro born as an accidental variety 

 among Caucasian, Mongolian, or other races, where a very natural 

 explanation could not be found for the mystery. Prichard, at one 

 time, believed Adam was a Negro, 1st, from the changes of animals 

 being from dark to light. 2d, from Albinoes occurring among 



* The Races of Hen ; a Fragment. By Robert Knox, M. D. London, 

 1850. 



