234 
BBPOBT - 1847 . 
which are contributed by animal physiology, or the theory of the anu^ 
ceconoray. It will be found that there are many relations between tia 
branch of kuo^vledge and the pursuits of the ethnologist. One sene? rf 
inquiries which he must elucidate is. whether the great laws of the aninai 
cecononiy ar»i the same in respect to all human races; whether “"51** 
ticular race cJitTera from others in regard to the duration of life and to 
various pericnlical changes of coimlitulton. and In the system ol phyan- 
functions generally; and whether such diversities, if found to e^ « 
be explained by reference to exlenial agencies, or imply original differeBcn 
and form, ihercfore, specitic characters. Another inquiry 
physiology is, whether viiriatjons of form, colour, drc. can be 
reference to any known principle, and how far, and iindcr what coo ii 
they .are transmitted to posterity', and n»ay therefore assist us in 
the* origination of particular breeds or tribes, marked by some hercai . 
persomU chai-acters. , 1 iv 
Natural history, ami cflpeeially zoology, opens the ground of scverii 
quiries very'important in tlie htudy of ethnology. . , 
We must luko account, for example, of the variations of lorn M 
gnnization to which the (lifiVront ajiecies of animals are subject, in orae 
solve the question, vvhctlier the diti'crenct^ts observed in human 
compared with each other, arc analogous to the natural varieties which 
up in tribes of aninmls, or arc such as indicate an entire distinction fro 
era of crcatioti, and thernforo prove the species to be separate? 
Another observation connected with this diiparfnicnt of knowleage 
been brought to boar on the inijuiry ri'spccting identity and diverw^ 
species,—I allude to the facts connected with hyhridity, or the 
sterility of animals which are the off»])ring of jMxroiits belonging tp 
species. It is well known that mules are generally barren; 
ascertained that the same observation holds good of all other ^5" . ^ 
criterion of the identity or diversity of species would be at once o ^ 
This was after the time of Hunli-r a received doctrine among 
So many cxccptiuns however had been a'^erted to exist to the supP ^ 
that many physiologists of the age of 131umenbiicb abandoned mis ^ 
of hybridity as a criterion for tbe discrimination of species, 
w’ere somewhat Jiasty in giving up a principle which was not 
and only required some laodiHcation in order to be still an ^ 
great value in the inquiry respecting species. Whatever 
occur to tlie Biipposcd universal sterility' of hybrids, certain it t* 
must be some provision in the constitution of organized 
keep their breeds distinct and prevent the Hraalgamatioii of really P 
kinds. If distinct reproduction had not been the law of 
there would have arisen in the lapse of ages a complete : 
in the animal amt vegetable worlds, and there would haveb^n- ^ 
single tribe of distinct and nnnuxo<l descent. In fact, hybrid 
not in nature, and there nuiAt be sonic natural impediment to r 
ductiou, Tlio important bearing of thi.s observation on the 
s{>ecting species in the human family must be obvious to those w ^ 
how often it bos been asserted mid denied that Mulattos are 
propagating thuir nffspiiijg through many generations, and ‘haj • ifi 
descendants of the Spanianls and the aboriginfs of South A fi 
comparatividy unpvoHfic. The jirt>eeut would not be a fit o<J 
entering o» tlie iliscussion of these assertions, and I shall Pf*!. 
subject, after remarking that the existence and rapid 
several mixed human races, as that of the Confuses in the BraawS 
