1867.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 115 



Mr. Waldie remarked that Dr. Colles's argument scarcely seemed 

 complete. Mr. Amery would probably say that the higher types of man 

 could make opportunities and create circumstances ; the lower could 

 advance only a certain length, he could carry improvements no further. 



Mr. Justice Phear observed that the writer of the paper, would have 

 greatly strengthened his illustration of the " Yorkshire Boy," if he 

 had pointed to a living example of one in the position which he de- 

 scribed, and could have shown that it justified his remark. So long 

 as the instance adduced remained purely a matter of speculation, Mr. 

 Phear was disposed very greatly to doubt, whether the boy, whose 

 ancestors had in a continuous chain from the days of Canute to the 

 present time invariably been peasants, and unable without exception 

 to raise themselves out of the lowest social grade, would exhibit the 

 comparatively superior intellectual capacity which Mr. Amery ex- 

 pected of him. And with reference to the colour of the skin used as 

 an argument for diversity of origin, although it might be conceded 

 that it is not a function of latitude or temperature, and not referable 

 to exposure as a cause, still this did not leave it to be treated as un- 

 qualified evidence, without any reference whatever to its association 

 with language. The fact that the darkest races of Asia and the fairest 

 of Europe, exhibit a common bond of union in their language, intro- 

 duces a difficulty in the way of solving Mr. Amery's problem, which 

 that gentleman seems to have passed by unheeded. The paper every- 

 where appeared to disclose traces of hasty composition, and it would 

 probably not be incorrect to conclude that it was written without 

 opportunity for thoughtful reflection. It would hardly be fair to the 

 author that it should be published in its present form. 



Mr. Blanford said that Mr. Amery's paper had probably been 

 written under the disadvantage of a want of any books of reference, 

 even the most elementary. It was only possible in this way to ac- 

 count for the numerous errors it contained in matters of fact, such as 

 the assertion that cervine animals abounded in Africa, or that the age 

 of the nummulitics was unknown. The principal theory insisted upon, 

 that of the affinity between the fauna and flora of certain geological 

 periods, and those of existing geographical provinces was not new, 

 and it was easy to shew that it was merely apparent. The speaker 

 proceeded to examine the case of New Zealand especially quoted by 

 Mr. Amery. The only similarity between the carboniferous flora and 



