Scientific Intelligence.-— Zoology. 219 
Whether such a change, proceeding from the aboriginal inha- 
bitants of Upper Asia, has really produced the actually existing 
four chief varieties of the Mongol as the oldest, then the Ame- 
rican, the Malay, and Caucasian, would form one of the most im- 
portant and interesting investigations for the study of anthropo- 
logy, as well as the history of the revolutions of the earth in ge- 
neral. ‘ n - — Spin and Martin's Travels in Brazil . 
17. Colour of the Negro. — In a former number of this Jour- 
nal, we mentioned the opinion of Professor Rudolphi of Berlin, 
in regard to the seat of the black colour in the Negro race. That 
distinguished anatomist infers from the dark colour of the epi- 
dermis, that it is the principal seat of the colour. On con- 
versing lately with an intelligent American anatomist, who has 
dissected, in his theatre, many Negroes, I was informed that 
he found the epidermis to be nearly black, and the rete muco- 
sum, the supposed seat of the black colour according to many 
anatomists, had nearly the same tint of colour as in the Euro- 
pean race. 
ZOOLOGY. 
18. Seal and Walrus. — Sir E. Home, in a paper read before 
the Royal Society of London, mentions several facts he has dis- 
covered in regard to the walrus and seal. — The first discovery 
was, that the walrus is provided with means similar to those of 
the fly, which enable it to walk in an inverted position. The 
structure of the foot of the fly is described in the Philosophical 
Transactions for 1816; and on seeing a mutilated foot of the 
walrus, Sir Everard was struck with their mutual resemblance, 
and requested Captain Sabine, who was about to visit the 
Arctic regions, to bring him a specimen, which, with the aid 
of the assistant-surgeon of the ship, he accomplished. On 
examination, the hind-foot was found provided with a hollow 
space, which enabled the animal to produce a vacuum when it 
was placed on any surface; the foot was provided with two toes, 
which enables the creature to form a more perfect vacuum, by 
bringing the parts in closer contact with the surface on which 
the foot is placed, and which also admit the air on their being 
raised. In describing the foot of the fly, similar points or toes 
we observed, but it was not until an opportunity occurred of re- 
