THE HUMAN SPECIE3. 273 



In general, however, it is evident that the nations of this 

 portion of the globe possess a marked similarity of physical 

 characters. They have a small skull, varying in the capacity 

 of the cranial chamber from 100 to 60 cubic inches, according 

 to Dr. Morton's measurement. It approaches the Mongolian 

 in shape, but the summit is more rounded, and the sides are 

 less angular. In some tribes there is a somewhat more pointed 

 crown, and the back part is often flattened, in most cases arti- 

 ficially so ; the cheek-bones are high, the forehead naturally 

 rather low and depressed; the nose prominent; in a few tribes 

 aquiline ; maxilla? powerful ; the mouth rather large, and the 

 lips full, if not tumid. The eyes of all the nations are black, 

 and the hair rather scarce, lank, and coarse; though, among 

 the Arauca mountaineers, and also on the west coast, gray 

 eyes and lighter colored hair are sometimes seen. These 

 tribes, also, are as fair as southern Europeans. The South 

 Americans are more yellow than copper-colored ; but in the 

 northern portion the skin is reddish, agreeing with the distinct- 

 ive name which the native tribes bestow upon themselves ; that 

 color being formed by a peculiar tissue below the epidermis, 

 according to Flourens, but yet not nearly so vivid as we have 

 often observed it to be among French and Spanish fishermen 

 in the West Indies.* The Caribs are intermediate : some 

 tribes of Guiana much darker than Mulattoes, and the Cali- 

 fornians almost black, or dark like Samboes. 



In most respects, the aboriginal population may be divided 

 into the yellow tropical semi-Malay stem of the eastern regions 

 of South America, and the Caucaso-Mongolians of the north, 

 and of the Cordilleras, along the whole west coast of the conti- 



* We have personally compared and drawn from life many individuals 

 of dillerent tribes: — Fuegians, Brazilians, Arookas, Carihs, Mosquito 

 Indians, Seminoles, &c., of the United States, and others in Canada of 

 different northern tribes. The highly developed reddish color may be a 

 result of the long-continued action of dry, sharp winds in the prairies of 

 Upper North America. 



