American Association, 289 



ganic species continue to form new units ; but it is not by inde- 

 finite blendings, but by a definite law ; and if such a law existed 

 in organtc nature, it would also be in general an essential part of 

 tbe system, easy of discovery. But there were variations in 

 species, though they could never extend to the obliteration of the 

 fundamental characteristics of the species. No substance could 

 be independent of any other. The law of mutual sympathy was 

 •one of the most universal in nature. The planets where modified 

 by each other, and one chemical substance by the other. Each 

 body had its own fundamental force, and the relation of this to 

 others was a part of the idea of the species ; and this process of 

 variation was a law of universal nature acting on the law of a 

 special nature and compelling the latter to reveal its qualities. 

 This was one of the richest sources of truth which was open to 

 research, and hence we should not regard the individuals which 

 were conspecific as constituting a species ; but each one, as an 

 expression of the species in its potentiality, and under some one 

 phase of its variations. The system of nature must be conceived 

 of as a system of units continually adding to the number of re- 

 presentative individuals by self reproduction ; and all adding to 

 their varieties by mutual sympathetic reaction." 



CRANIAL TYPE OF THE AMERICAN RACE. 



The clever though not over scrupulous writers of the so-called 

 *' American School of Ethnology," have built largely on the re- 

 searches of Dr. Morton, a man of great industry and ability, but 

 not fully aware of the use which would be made of the materials 

 he had collected. Professor Wilson has been going over some of 

 Morton's ground, and is surprised to find his general statements 

 Bot borne out by facts. ' The statements of this paper would seem 

 to show that the whole subject of American crania requires re- 

 investigation. 



" Prof. Wilson spoke on the supposed uniformity of Cranial Type 

 throughout the American race, and recommended inquiry on this 

 question so frequently forced on the attention of the Association, 

 and in the meantime not to come into collision with theologians ; 

 There was a great variety in forms of the head, colour of the 

 hair, and the osteological structure of the human frame. It was a 

 question not only whether all human beings agreed in form, but 

 whether they had always agreed ; and in order to that discovery 

 the search must be made in ancient tombs and tumuh. By 

 ethnologists of the American school important results had been 



G 



