WELL asked is half answered, and more problems escape solution because no one happens to propose them, than because of their real difficulty. To suggest suitable inquiries to the mind of a traveller or colonist as to the wild races he comes in contact with, is to start him on a course of ethnological investigation which may lead to excellent results. The plan of drawing up lists of such inquiries to be distributed among naval officers, missionaries, and others, is not new. The Ethnological Society of London issued a set years ago, which drew much information. An elaborate series of questions as to the North American tribes, answers to which constitute some of the best material in Schoolcraft's “Indian, Tribes of the United States,” is reprinted at the end of vol. i. of that work. The “Admiralty Manual of Scientific Inquiry” contains an ethnological section, first drawn up by Dr. Prichard, and since revised. The present publication issued by the British Association is far more complete than any of these earlier guides. The committee by whom it has been drawn up are Col. Lane Fox (secretary) Dr. Beddoe, Mr. Franks, Mr. F. Galton, Mr. E. W. Brabrook, Sir J. Lubbock, Sir Walter Elliot, Mr. Clements R. Markham, and Mr. E. B. Tylor. The first sections, relating to the physical constitution of man, are drawn up by Dr. Beddoe, who gives drawings and directions for measurement of skull and limbs, &c. It adds much to the value of the book that the eminent French anthropologist, Dr. Broca, has allowed his set of colour-types to be reproduced. By the aid of these tinted patches, the colour of skin, hair, and eyes in individuals of any race may be set down within a shade. Thus, instead of loosely describing a Peruvian Indian's complexion as copper-brown, it might be defined as between No. 42 and No. 43 of Broca's table. The section on archaeology is by Col. Lane Fox, and contains cuts of the principal types of stone implements, contributed by Mr. John Evans, also an ideal representation of a valley, to show the position of the gravel beds above the present river-level, where travellers may be likely to find drift-implements. The sections on war, hunting, and ornamentation are also by Col. Fox; the latter article is especially interesting from the illustrations of the principal patterns used in barbaric ornamental carving, &c., such as the chevron, fret or key-border, plait or guilloche. Mr. Franks deals with the subjects of clothing, personal ornaments, pottery, &c.; Mr. Evans with weaving, basket-work, &c.; Mr. Galton with statistics; Sir J. Lubbock with relationships; Mr. Tylor with religion, mythology, language, customs, &c.; Prof. Busk with artificial deformations; Prof. Carl Engel (whom the printer has converted into Cave Engel) on music; Mr. Hyde Clarke on weights and measures, money, &c. The articles often contain not only leading questions, but introductions which state in few words what is known on their subjects.