Concerning Eyes. 195 



tions. One would not look for these fiery eyes 

 amongst the peaceful children of civilization, wlio, 

 when tliey make war, do so without anger, and kill 

 their enemies by machinery, without even seeing 

 them ; but amongst savage or semi-savage men, 

 carnivorous in their diet, fierce in disposition, and 

 extremely violent in tlieir passions. It is precisely 

 amongst people of this description that I have lived 

 a great deal. I have often seen them frenzied with 

 excitement, their faces white as ashes, hair erect, 

 and eyes drooping great tears of rage, but I have 

 never seen anything in them even approaching to 

 that fiery appearance described in the owl. 



Nature has done comparatively little for the 

 human eye, not only in denying it the terrifying 

 splendours found in some other species, but also in 

 the minor merit of beauty. When going about 

 the world one cannot help thinking that the 

 various races and tribes of men, differing in 

 the colour of their skins and in the cliniates and 

 conditions they hve in, ought to have differently- 

 coloured eyes. In Brazil, I was greatly struck with 

 the magnificent appearance of many of the negro 

 women I saw there; well-formed, tall, majestic 

 creatures, often appropriately clothed in loose white 

 gowns and white turban-like headdresses ; while on 

 their round polished blue-black arms they wore 

 silver armlets. It seemed to me that pale golden 

 irides, as in the intensely black tyrant-bird Liche- 

 nops perspicillata, would have given a finisliing 

 glory to these sable beauties, completing their 



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