VIEWS ON THE EVOLUTION OF MAN 363 



touch highly developed at the extremity of these 

 same fingers, enables him to judge the nature of the 

 bodies which surround him, to recognize them, to 

 make use of them — means which no other animals 

 possess to such a degree. 



" Thirdly, by the state of his organization man is 

 able to hold himself up and walk erect. He has, for 

 this attitude which is natural to him, large muscles 

 at the lower extremities which are adapted to this 

 end, and it would thus be as difficult to walk ha- 

 bitually on his four extremities as it would be for 

 the other mammals, and even for the Quadrumana, 

 to walk so habitually erect on the soles of their feet. 

 Moreover, man is not truly quadrumanous; for 

 he has not, like the monkeys, an almost equal facil- 

 ity in using the fingers of his feet, and of seizing 

 objects with them. In the feet of man the thumbs 

 are not in opposition to the other fingers to use in 

 grasping, as in monkeys, etc. 



" I appreciate all these reasons, and I see that 

 man, although near the Quadrumana, is so distinct 

 that he alone represents a separate order, belonging 

 to a single genus and species, offering, however, 

 many different varieties. This order may be, if it 

 is desired, that of the Bimatia. 



However, if we consider that all the character- 

 istics which have been cited are only differences in 

 degree of structure, may we not suppose that this 

 special condition of organization of man has beeft 

 gradually acquired at the close of a long period of 

 time, with the aid of circumstances which have proved 

 favorable ? * What a subject for reflection for those 

 who have the courage to enter into it ! 



" If the Quadrumana have not the occipital open- 

 ing situated directly at the base of the cranium as in 

 man, it is assuredly much less raised posteriorly than 



* Author's italics. 



