924 Queries respecting the Human Race. QNo. 155. 



varied in time and person. The vocabulary should be tested by the 

 interrogation of different natives, and more than one person should 

 be engaged in taking it down from their mouths, to avoid, as far as 

 may be, errors arising from peculiarities of utterance or defect of hear- 

 ing. It is likewise of importance that the system of orthography be 

 duly indicated and strictly adhered to. 



15. Endeavour to take down some piece of native composition, 

 such as the ordinary phrases employed in conversation, and any other 

 piece of prose which may be attainable ; and specimens of metrical 

 composition if such exist. Though these would be of comparatively 

 little use without translation, yet independently of this some im- 

 portance is to be attached to the metrical compositions if they have 

 a national character and are widely diffused ; and, in this case, it 

 might be possible to express some of their airs in musical characters. 

 A specimen of known composition translated into their language, may 

 also be given, such as the first chapter of Genesis, the fifteenth chap- 

 ter of Luke's Gospel, and the Lord's Prayer. 



16. Endeavour to ascertain whether the language is extensively 

 spoken or understood, and whether there are different languages 

 spoken by men having similar physical characters obviously connecting 

 them as a race, or if differing somewhat in this respect, inhabiting a 

 particular geographical tract. When such groups are said to possess 

 different languages, endeavour, as far as possible, to ascertain their 

 number, the sources whence each is derived, and the languages to 

 which it is allied ; and also the circumstances, geographical or politi- 

 cal, which may account for these distinctions. 



QFor further information connected with the investigation of lan- 

 guages, reference is made to a short essay on this subject read to the 

 Philological Society of London.] 



17. Are there any ceremonies connected with the birth of a child? 

 Is there any difference whether the child be male or female ? 



18. Does infanticide occur to any considerable extent, and if it 

 does, to what causes is it to be referred, want of affection, deficient 

 subsistence, or superstition ? 



19. Are children exposed, and from what causes, whether super- 

 stition, want of subsistence or other difficulties, or from deformity, 

 general infirmity, or other causes of aversion ? 



