Scientific Serials

Abstract

Journal of the Ethnological Society of London (January 1871). A paper by Mr. E. B. Tylor on “The Philosophy of Religion I among the lower Races of Mankind” gives in a condensed form I his views on the development of “Animism,” i.e. the doctrine of the soul, and of spirit and deity in general, a subject which is treated at length in his recently published work on “Primitive Culture.”—Prof. Huxley's address on the “Geographical Distribution of the Chief Modifications of Mankind” is accompanied by an ethnological map, which curators and lecturers will do well to adopt as a wall-map. The principal races of mankind are defined as the Australioid, Negroid, Mongoloid, and the Xantho-chroicand Melanochroic (fair and dark whites.) Among the special features in Prof. Huxley's scheme of the races of mankind, the following are prominent. The indigenous non-Aryan tribes of Central and Southern India, and less closely the ancient Egyptians and their descendants, the modern Fellahs, are referred to the Australioid type. The Negroid type of Africa is divided between the Negroes proper and the Bushmen of the extreme south, the Hottentots being considered a cross-breed between these two races. The Mongoloid type is made to include not only the brachycephalic Tatar races, but classification by skulls is set aside, and the group is arranged to include the Chinese and Japanese. The “absurd denomination” of “Caucasian” is abandoned, and the nations thus described by ethnologists come under the titles of Xanthochroi, fair whites, who are classed as of special type, and Melanochroi, dark whites, which latter Prof. Huxley is disposed to consider as sprung from intermixture of Xanthochroi and Australioids. In this classification of human types or races, Prof. Huxley rests on physical characteristics, treating language as subordinate. In his remarks on “The Ethnology of Britain” he again states his views as to the great division of European men between the fair whites of the centre and west, and the dark whites of the south. Both types occur in the early population of our islands, the use of Celtic language not corresponding with a racial distinction.—Dr. Nicholas's paper on the “Influence of the Norman Conquest on the Ethnology of Britain” is in strong antagonism to the view that Englishmen are ethnologically “Low Dutch.” In his view, the old British race, in great measure, kept its early type, the Saxon, Danish, and Norman invasions affecting language, government, &c, rather than replacing the population itself.—Among the papers on Prehistoric Archaeology are Sir John Lubbock's description of the Park Cwm Tumulus, and an account of remains of “Platycnemic Men in Denbighshire,” by Mr. W. Boyd Dawkins and Prof. Busk.—Canon Green-well's paper on “The Opening of Grime's Graves in Norfolk,” gives full particulars as to the site of a Stone Age manufactory of implements from the excellent flint of the district. The chalk was systematically mined for the flint, and the so-called “Grime's Graves” are ancient pit-workings of this class. Colonel Lane Fox is disposed to explain in the same way the “Danes' Holes” in Kent, long a puzzle to antiquaries.—Looking at the number of the journal of the Ethnological Society, it is to be hoped that the journal of the new Anthropological Institute will maintain its very high standard of succinctness, solidity, and general interest.