SECT. I.] CLIMATE. 39 



more developed, which is generally the case with the progress 

 of civilization. 



Zimmermann 1 concludes, from the high stature of the Pata- 

 gonians and the old Germans, whose country was then colder 

 than now, that the highest stature belongs to the colder regions 

 of the temperate zone, whilst Blumenbach 2 thinks stature in- 

 creases on approaching the tropics. To both these assumptions 

 it may be objected, that the short inhabitants of Tierra del 

 Fuego live very near the Patagonians, the Laplanders near the 

 Fins and Swedes, and similar examples shew that in this re- 

 spect all that can be asserted is, that the greatest development 

 of man and domestic animals seems to occur in the temperate 

 zone. 



I. Geoffroy St. Hilaire, who shares Zimmermann's opinion, 3 

 mentions as a known fact, that the peoples possessing the 

 shortest stature inhabit nearly all the most northern part of the 

 northern hemisphere. His own tables, however, which must 

 not be altogether confided in, as is plainly shewn from his 

 numerous exceptions, indicate the nature of this assumed fact. 

 Since (as he himself observes) near such peoples of high stature 

 there live other peoples of short stature, we must admit that 

 descent is of more decided influence than climate, though the 

 latter is not without its due effect. The animals, about the 

 size of which 4n relation to climate Greoffroy lays down a series 

 of axioms, 4 differ in this respect. Some species grow smaller 

 in warm climates, others in cold climates. 5 



A sufficiently well-known and constant effect of climate (in 

 support of which, we shall quote a number of facts), is the 

 rapid or tardy development of the sexual organs. This develop- 

 ment is, like stature, also dependent upon nutrition and mode 

 of life; whence many deviations may be explained from the 

 rule that sexual maturity occurs earlier in warm, and later in 

 cold climates. This influence also extends to the intellect. 



1 " Geogr. Gesch. des Menschen und der vierftiss. Thiere," 1778. 



2 " De gen. hum. var. not.," p. 93. 



3 " ATin. des Sci. Nat./' p. 702, 1832 ; Froriep's Notizen, No. 818, p. 54, 775 

 1833. 



4 Froriep's Notizen, 1832. 



5 Swainson, p. 275. 



