MAN. 
liail grows so large that it is placed on a 
board, supported by wheels, for the conve- 
nience of the animal ; and the runipless 
fowl of America, and particularly Virginia 
( Gallus Ecaudatus J, w hich lias undoubt- 
edly descended from the English breed. 
Stature. No part of our subject has been 
more disgraced by fables and hyperbolical 
exaggeration, than the present division. Not 
to mention the pigmies and giants of anti- 
quity ; the bones of different large animals, 
ascribed to human subjects of immoderate 
stature, even by such men as Bnffon, suffi- 
ciently prove our assertion. The accuracy 
of modern investigation has, how'ever, so 
completely exposed the extravagance of 
such suppositions, that we are relieved from 
the necessity of a detailed consideration. 
All the remains of antiquity, which afford 
us any inferences on the subject of stature, 
such as mummies, human bones, and parti- 
cularly teeth taken from the oldest burial 
places and urns, armour, &c. concur in 
provinsr, that the ancients did not exceed 
the moderns in this respect. Yet amongst 
the latter there are obvious national differ- 
ences. Of European nations some parts of 
Sweden and Switzerland are distinguished 
for tallness, as Lapland is in tiie contrary 
respect. The Abipons in the new world are 
of large size, and the Esquimaux small; but 
neither are very remarkable : and there is 
no such ditierence between any two mo- 
dern nations, but what admits of easy ex- 
planation from the common causes of dege- 
neration. and the analogous phenomena fur- 
nished by the natural history of other ani- 
mals. 
The Patagonians, or Tehuels, which oc- 
cupy the south east part of the extremity 
of South America, seem to be the tallest of 
the human race; but their height has been 
much exaggerated. Pigafetta, who accom- 
panied Magalhaens on lus voyage round the 
world, asserted that they were twice as tall 
as Europeans, and the accounts of subse- 
quent navigators have been very contradic- 
tory. Tliey seem, in tiuUi, to be a tall, 
though not gigantic race, and to possess a 
muscular frame. According to Wallis, Bou- 
gainville, and Carteret, the ordinary height 
may be six feet ; ai.d none seem to exceed 
six feet seven inches : a stature not so very 
remarkable, since otlier native tribes of the 
same continent have been remarked for 
their height. As they are a wandering 
race, wc cannot be surprised at finding that 
Europeans visiting the coast liave not al- 
ways been able to see them, The accounts 
of travellers prove, that the lieight of the 
Patagonians is not a peculiar circumstance. 
Bartram represents tlie Mnscoguiges and 
Cherokees of North America, inhabiting 
between 31“ and 35“ of North latitude, as 
taller than Europeans ; many being above 
six feet, and few under five feet eiglit or ten 
inches. (Travels, p. 482), The Caffrees, 
according to Barrow, are “ tall, robust, and 
muscular, and distinguislied by a peculiar 
firmness of carriage ; some of them were 
six feet ten inches, and so elegantly propor- 
tioned that they would not have disgraced 
tlie pedestal of tlie Faniese Hercules. Tlie 
accounts of a pigmy race, called Qiiimos 
or Kimos, in the interior of Madagascar, 
do not seem to be at all autiientic. The 
Laplanders and Nova Zembiians, in Eu- 
rope, the Samoieds, Ostiacs, Yakuts, and 
Tnngooses in Asia, and the Greenlanders 
and Esquimaux of America, all, in short, 
wlio iniiabit higli northern latitudes, are 
short in stature, measuring from four to 
five feet; and they agree remarkably in 
other characters, altiiougii occupying such 
distant countries. This accordance must 
be explained by exposure to the same 
causes ; living in a barren and inhospitable 
climate, and exposed equally to its rigour, 
feeiing tlie same wants, and having the same 
means of gratifying tliom, should we not 
expect a similarity of stature, colour, coun- 
tenance, &c. ? It seems ratiier doubtful, 
whether the miserable -Pescherais, who 
wander naked over the rocks of Terra del 
Fuego, are aise diminutive ; but Barrow 
informs us, that tlie Eosimien, wlio adjoin 
the Cape, scarcely ever exceed four feet 
nine inches. 
Every one will immediately perceive, 
that the differences of stature in tlie human 
race are not equal to tlibse occurring in dif- 
ferent breeds of animals. Tlie pigs taken 
from Europe into the island of Cuba have 
grown to twice their original size; and tiie 
cattle in Paraguay have experienced a great 
increase in tins respect. 
That climate possesses an influence, seems 
to be proved from the circumstance of the 
Laplanders and Hungarians, which differ so 
widely in stature and formation, having de- 
scended from a common source. 
Physiological considerations render it 
probable, tiiat food will be efficacious in in- 
creasing or diminishing stature. The Arees 
or nobles of Otalieite and the Society 
Islands exceed the other natives in stature 
and personal beauty ; and this is ascribed 
by Forster to tlieir enjoying a more copious 
