THE ETHNOLOGY OF li ASTERN ASIA. 



11 



tible, in the Ultraindian and Asianesian races, including the Khvi 

 or Kasia in which however it still remains small. In some 

 of the Nicobar tribes the eyes have the Chinese obliquity, and the 

 Asamese, Kachari, Oaros, Akhas, Miris, Khamtis and I presume 

 the other northern Lau also possess it, though subdued. In the 

 Asianesian races the eye is generally much larger and hher than 

 in the Tibetan and moat of the E. Himalayan tribes. Indeed the 

 latter jr,..this respect approach much more to the Chinese than to 

 the Asianesian physiognomy. 



The effects of scanty and precarious food in rendering the person 

 stunted and meagre, with the frequent but not invariable concomi- 

 tant of thin legs and protuberant belly, are seen in the Che pang, 

 Karens and some other tribes of the region, as amongst the 

 Kurumbar of S. Indiaj the Andaman and many other negro and 

 Indo-AiVieim tribes of Asiancsta. 



In complexion, stature and other respects great differences are 

 observable. The prevailing colour is yellow of various tinges 

 from light to deep brownish. The Chinese are the fairest, being 

 of a dull unwholesome looking light-yellow or reddish-yellow, 

 passing into tawny in those who are much exposed to the weather 

 and into a fine whitish yellow, with a faint ruddy flush, in those 

 who are confined to the house. This fairness is probably attribu- 

 table to the prevalence of mountains and humid plains, because in 

 the more cold and arid regions to the N,, the Mongoles and 

 Tangusians have a decided tawny colour. It may be in some 

 degree caused by the greater exposure of the nomades. The 

 Tibetan complexion is tawny. That of most of the Himalayan 

 Turanian tribes is a little darker or a light brown. In and on the 

 margin of the plain they arc darker. In India the colour varies 

 from dark-yellow, to dark-brown or copper and even black. The 

 Garo like the Rajmahali are black. In the Burmese, Siamese and 

 Anamese it becomes successively lighter, changing from an oli ve- 

 brown, to light-brown and brownish yellow. In the Chinese it ia 

 much lighter. The Nagas are brovvnish but those of the interior 

 yellowish. Good living and freedom from exposure tend to 

 preserve the natural colour, which in most of the insular races 

 must be considered the same as the Chinese, but with less of red 

 and more of yellowish, and therefore acquiring on exposure a fine 

 clear brown instead of a tawny or copper tinge. Most of the 

 Asianesian varieties from golden- yellowish to brown are agreeable. 



The height is generally, a medium one, but the Tibetans, Bhotias 

 and the Abor-Miri rise often much above it Many are above 

 6 feet.* Some of the Himalayan races are small. The Kong 

 or Lepcha are only 5 feet, the Ekthumba somewhat taller 

 and the Murmi taller still, and coarser than the other Himalayan 

 tribes. Amongst the allied Polynesian tribes the Tibetan height is 



' The Yakuts often attoiji a similar height. 



