•Chap. VII. 
THE KACES OF MAH. 
215 
test of their specific distinctness ; and tlieir continued 
persistence without blending within the same area, is 
usually accepted as sufficient evidence, either of some 
degree of mutual sterility, or in the case of animals of 
some repugnance to mutual pairing. 
Independently of blending from, intercrossing, the 
complete absence, in a well-investigated region, of 
varieties linking together any two closely-allied forms, 
is probably the most important of all the criterions 
of their specific distinctness; and this is a somewhat 
different consideration from mere constancy of character, 
for two forms may be highly variable and yet not 
yield intermediate varieties. Geographical distribution 
is often unconsciously and sometimes consciously brought 
into play ; so that forms living in two widely separated 
areas, in which most of the other inhabitants are speci- 
fically distinct, are themselves usually looked at as dis- 
tinct ; but in truth this affords no aid in distinguishing 
geographical races from so-called good or true species. 
Now let us apply these generally-admitted principles 
to the races of man, viewing him in the same spirit as 
a naturalist would any other animal. In regard to the 
amount of difference between the races, we must make 
some allowance for our nice powers of discrimination 
gained by the long habit of observing ourselves. In 
India, as Elphinstone remarks , 1 although a newly-arrived 
European cannot at first distinguish the various native 
races, yet they soon appear to him extremely dissimilar ; 
and the Hindoo cannot at first perceive any difference 
between the several European nations. Even the most 
distinct races of man, with the exception of certain 
negro tribes, are much more like each other in form 
1 4 History of India,’ 1841, vol. i. p. 323. Father Eipa makes exactly 
the same remark with respect to the Chinese. 
