Tableau, may be readily contrasted witb those of Africa. There is,
however, one feature in this realm, which requires particular attention,
and has a high importance with reference to the study of the
races of men. "We find here upon Borneo (an island not so extensive
as Spain) one of the best known of those anthropoid monkeys, the
orang-outan, and with him as well as upon the adjacent islands of
Java and Sumatra, and along the coasts of the two East Indian penin-
sujse, not less than ten other different species of Hylobates, the long-
armed monkeys; a genus which, next to the orang and chimpanzee,
ranks nearest to man. One of these species is circumscribed witbin
the Island of Java, two along the coast-of Coromandel, three upon
that of Malacca, and four upon Borneo. Also, eleven of the highest
organized beings which have performed their part in the plan of the
Creation within tracts of land inferior in extent to the range of any
of the historical nations of men ! In accordance with this fact, we
find three distinct races within the boundaries of the East Indian
realm: the Telingan race in anterior India, the Malays in posterior
India and upon the islands, upon which the Negrillos occur with them.
Such combinations justify fully a comparison of the geographical
range covered by distinct European nations with the' narrow limits
occupied upon earth by the orangs, the chimpanzees, and the gorillas;
and though I still hesitate to assign to each an independent origin
(perhaps rather from the difficulty of divesting myself of the opinions
universally received, than from any intrinsic evidence), I must, in
presence of these facts, insist at least upon the probability of such an
independence of origin of all nations; or, at least, of the independent
origin of a primitive stock for each, with which at some future period
migrating or conquering tribes 'have more or less completely amalgamated,
as in the case of mixed nationalities. The evidence adduced
from the affinities of the languages of different nations in favor of a
community of origin is of no value, when we know, that, among
vociferous animals, every species has its peculiar intonations, and that
the different species of the same family produce sound as closely
allied, and forming as natural combinations, as the so-called Indo-
Germanic languages compared with one another. Nobody, for
instance, would suppose that because the notes of the different species
of thrushes, inhabiting different parts of the world, bear the closest
affinity to one another, these birds must all have a common origin;
and yet, with reference to man, philologists still look upon the affinities
of languages as affording direct evidence of such a community
of origin, among the races, even though they have already discovered
the most essential differences in the very structure of these languages.
Ever since New Holland was discovered, it has been known
as the land of zoological marvels. All its animals differ so completely
from those of other parts of our globe, that it may be said to constitute
a world in itself, as isolated in that respect from the other continents,
as it truly is in its physical relations. As a zoological realm,
it extends to New Guinea and some adjacent islands. New Holland,
however, constitutes a distinct fauna, which at some future time may
be still further subdivided, differing from that of the islands north
of it. The characteristic animals of this insular continent are represented
in the eighth column of our Tableau. They all belong to two
families only, considering the class of mammalia alone, the marsupials,
and the monotremes. • Besides these are found bats, and mice,
and a wild dog; but there are neither true edentata, nor ruminants,
nor pachyderms, nor monkeys, in'this realm, which is inhabited by
two races of men, the Australian in New Holland, and the Papuans
upon the Islands. The isolation of the zoological types of Australia,
inhabiting as they do a continent.partaking of nearly all the physical
features of the other parts of the world, is one of the most striking
evidences that the presence of animals upon earth is not determined
by physical conditions, but established by the direct agency of a
Creator.
Of Polynesia, its races and animals, it would be difficult to give an
idea in such a condensed picture as this. I pass them, therefore,
entirely unnoticed. The mountain faunae have also been omitted in
our Map from want of space.
Before closing these remarks I should add, that one of the greatest
difficulties naturalists have met with, in the study of the human races,
has been the want of a standard of comparison by which to estimate
the value and importance of the diversities observed between the
different nations of the world. But (since it is idle to make assertions
upon the Character of these differences without a distinct understanding
respecting the meaning of the words constantly used in reference
to the subject), it may be proper to ask here, What is a species, what
a variety, and what is meant by the unity or the diversity of the races ?
In order not to enter upon debateable ground in answering the
first of these questions, let us begin by considering it with reference
to the animal kingdom; and, without alluding to any controverted point,
limit ourselves to animals well known among us. We would thus
remember tbat, with universal consent, the horse and ass are considered
as two distinct species of the same genus, to which belong
several other distinct species known to naturalists ufider the names
of zebra, quagga, dauw, &c. The buffalo and the bull are also distinct
species of another genus, embracing several other foreign species.
The black bear, the white bear, the grizzly bear, give another example