Linton — The Marquesas Islands 467 



The conditions in Polj-nesia are extremely complex, and the migration 

 theor}^ just outlined and the theory of the derivation of all the historic Poly- 

 nesian cultures from three original cultures which were introduced by different 

 races probably err on the side of simplicity. The division of Oceania into Poly- 

 nesia, Micronesia and Melanesia is, in some respects, an arbitrary one and no 

 final settlement of Polynesian problems will be possible until we have further in- 

 formation on the other two areas. Ingenious theories of cultural stratification 

 have been advanced to account for the historic conditions in Melanesia, but Mic- 

 ronesia is still almost unknown scientifically and has been largely ignored by 

 Polynesian students. Even our present fragmentary knowledge of Micronesia 

 indicates that at least one of the Polynesian races passed through that region. 

 A systematic study of Micronesian culture and physical type would no doubt 

 provide a key to many of the Polynesian problems. 



[207] 



