DISTRIBUTION OF THE HUMAN RACE. 1385

 

The birds are also of peculiar species, such as the
emu, cassowary, dodo, and apterix.

—°059400——

CEVA iE Ee:

The Distribution of the Human
Race.

356. Ethnography is that department of phys-

ical geography which treats of the varieties of
the human race, and their distribution.

The range of the distribution of man is much
greater than that of the lower animals, which, as
we have already seen, with the trifling exception
of a few that have been domesticated, are confined
to certain limited localities. Man has far greater
powers of adapting himself to a change of cir-
cumstances, and is found in nearly all the climatic
zones, from the equator to the poles, and at all
elevations, from the level of the sea to the edge
of the snow line.

357. Unity of the Human Race.—Although
the different races of men vary greatly in color,
size, stature, and intelligence, still a number of
circumstances point to their descent from a single
family or species.

(1.) The Anatomical Structure is invariably
the same in all races.

(2.) Gradual Modification of Types presented
by the different races. The more marked out-
ward peculiarities, which serve as the basis for
classification, pass into each other, by almost in-
sensible gradations, from the highest race to the
lowest. This points to a gradual modification of
a single, original race by changes in external cir-
cumstances, thus producing the present varieties.
It would appear that all the varieties of the race
have descended from the Caucasians,.or whites.

(8.) Similarity of Earlier Myths and Legends.
Since the earlier myths and legends of nearly all
nations resemble each other, it is fair to infer that
their remote ancestors originally dwelt together.

(4.) Close Resemblance of Language of Widely
Separated Races. This may be regarded as the
strongest proof of unity.

If we examine the words used in different na-
tions to express the most common ideas, we will
find a remarkable similarity between many of
them. For example, our word father is pita in
Sanscrit, pater in Latin, pater in Greek, vater in
German, and pére in French. The same similar-

 

ity is noticeable in the words for mother, sister,
brother, daughter, God, and many others. The
only rational explanation for the resemblance is,
that the words were derived from the same parent
language, the present differences having been
gradually acquired, as the descendants of this
earlier people wandered farther and farther from,
their common home.

An extended comparison made in this way between dif-
ferent languages, has shown the common origin of the lan-
guages of Europe and a large part of Asia. It has been
conclusively proved that these tongues owe their origin
to one parent nation, which dwelt, during pre-historic times,
in the neighborhood of Mt. Ararat and Mesopotamia.

Other families of languages, such as the Chinese and
Semitic, have been studied, but thus far the connection
between the different families has not been certainly es-
tablished. /

 

NEGRO.
Fig. 121. Primary Races of Men,

MONGOLIAN.

358. The Races of Men Among the varieties
of the human race, three strongly-marked types
are found: the Caucasian, the Mongolian, and
the Negro. These, which may be regarded as the
primary races, are grouped around three geograph-
ical centres, which correspond nearly to the cen-
tres of the three divisions of the Old World.

The Caucasian type is found in most of Europe
and in South-western Asia; the Mongolian type,
in those parts of Europe and Asia not occupied
by the Caucasian; the Negro type, in Africa.
The other parts of the world are peopled mainly
by three other races, which, in general, bear close
resemblances to the preceding. These are the
Malay, the American, and the Australian. ‘They