SECT. II.] THE SENSES. 139 



(this is also the view of Rengger, 1 who states that the Indians 

 can distinguish the kind of wild beasts by the noise in the bush, 

 and a mounted horse from an unmounted one by the tramp- 

 ing of the hoof), for it has been observed, that in many animals 

 continued exercise of the senses through several generations, 

 gradually produces a corresponding improvement of the same. 

 An example of this kind is furnished by the Dajakes, among 

 whom such as lead a nomadic life have smell and sight very 

 acute, which is not the case with those who are agriculturists. 2 

 That the inhabitants of the desert, like their camels and horses, 

 perceive water at a considerable distance, is well known. Even 

 Europeans acquire this power, 3 and it is scarcely surprising 

 that, after a long-continued dryness of the air, a higher 

 degree of moisture should produce a peculiar sensation. In 

 Australia, where Leichardt could observe nothing of this kind 

 in men or animals, Mitchell 4 heard a native use the expres- 

 sion, " the wind smelled of water ;" and he found that his dogs 

 discovered water more readily than the natives, and the latter 

 more readily than the Europeans. 



Sight and hearing are very acute among the Hottentots and 

 Bushmen (Burchell) ; the latter see objects with the naked eye 

 for which we require a telescope. 5 This is also the case among 

 the Australians, 6 many Polynesians, New Zealanders, the in- 

 habitants of the Paumotu- Archipelago, who perceive ships at 

 much greater distances than Europeans; 7 and among most 

 hunting tribes of the Mongolian race. The Papuas of New 

 Guinea are also said to possess acute sight and hearing ; 8 their 

 sense of taste seems, however, very obtuse, if it be true what 

 Freycinet 9 relates, that one of them swallowed the whole con- 

 tents of a pepper-box, not only without experiencing any in- 



1 " Naturgesch. de Saugeth. v. Paraguay," p. 10. 



2 Kessel, " Bullet. Soc. Geogr.," ii, p. 514, 1852. 



3 Burckhardt, " E. in Nubien," p. 286, 1820; Le Vaillant, Erste E., p. 348. 



4 " Journal of an exped. in Tropical Austr.," p. 264, 1848. 



5 Liechtenstein, ii, p. 320. 



6 Turnbull, E. um d. Velt im Mag. v. Eeisebeschr., p. 36, Berlin, 1806 ; 

 Cunningham, " Two years in New South Wales," ii, p. 13, 1827. 



7 Moerenhaut, "Voy.," i, p. 172. 



8 Lesson, " Voy. Med.," p. 204, 1829. 



9 " Voy. autour du m.," ii, p. 23, 1827. 



