“ We are thus led to distinguish special provinces in the natural distribution of animals,
and we may adopt the following division as the most natural First, the Arctic province,
with prevailing uniformity. Second, the Temperate Zone, with at least three distinct
zoological provinces — the European Temperate Zone, west of the Ural Mountains; the
Asiatic Temperate Zone, east of the Ural Mountains; and the American Temperate Zone,
which may be subdivided into two, the Eastern and Western, for the animals east and west
of the Rocky Mbuntains differ sufficiently to constitute two distinct zoological provinces.
Next, the Tropical Zone, containing the African Zoological province, which extends over
the main part of the African continent, including all the country solith of the Atlas and
north of the Cape colonies ; the Tropical Asiatic province, south of the great Himalayan
chain, and including the Sunda Islands, whose Fauna has quite a continental character, and
differs entirely from that of the Islands of the Pacific, as well as from that of New Holland ;
the American Tropical province, including Central America, the West Indies, and Tropical
South America. New Holland constitutes in itself a special province, notwithstanding the
great differences of its northern and southern climate, the animals of the whole continent
preserving throughout their peculiar typical character. But it were a mistake to conceive
that the Faunæ, or natural groups of animals, are to be limited according to the boundaries
of the mainlands. On the contrary, we may trace their natural limits into the ocean, and
refer to the Temperate European Fauna the eastern shores of the Atlantic, as we refer its
western shores to the American Temperate Fauna. Again, the eastern shores of the Pacific
belong to the Western American Fauna, as the western Pacific shores belong to the Asiatic
Fauna. In the Atlantic Ocean there is no peculiar Oceanic Fauna to be distinguished ; but
in the Pacific we have such a Fauna, entirely marine in its main character, though inter-
spread with innumerable islands, extending east of the Sunda Islands and New Holland to
the western shores of Tropical America. The islands west of this continent seem, indeed, to
have very slight relations, in their zoological character, with the western parts of the mainland.
South of the Tropical Zone we have the South American Temperate Fauna and that
of the Cape of Good Hope, as other distinct zoological'provinces. Van Diemen’s Land,
however, does not constitute a zoological province in itself, but belongs to the province of
New Holland by its zoological Character. Finally, the Antarctic Circle encloses a special
zoological province, including the Antarctic Fauna, which, in a great measure, corresponds
to the Arctic Fauna in its uniformity, though it differs from it in having chiefly a maritime
character, while the Arctic Fauna has an almost entirely continental aspect.
“ The fact that the principal races of men, in their natural distribution, -cover the same
extent of ground as the same zoological provinces, would go far to show that the differences
which we notice between them are also primitive.”
These facts prove conclusively that the Creator has marked out
both the Old and hTew Worlds into distinct zoological provinces, and
that Faunæ and Floræ are independent of climate or other known
physical causes ; while it is equally clear that in this geographical distribution
there is evidence of a Plan — of a design ruling the climatic
conditions themselves.
It is very remarkable, too, that while the races of men, and the
Fauna and Flora of the Arctic region, present great uniformity, they
follow in the different continents the same general law of increasing
dissimilarity as we recede from the Arctic and go South, irrespectively
of climate. We have already shown that, as we pass down through
America, Asia, and Africa, the farther we travel the greater is the dissimilarity
of their Faunæ and Floræ, to their very terminations, even
when compared together in the same latitudes or zones; and an
examination will show, that differences of types in the human family
become more strongly marked as we recede from the Polar regions,
and reach their greatest extremes.at those terminating points of continents
where they are most widely separated by distance, although
occupying nearly the same parallels of latitude, and nearly the same
climates. For instance, the Fuegians of Cape Horn, the Hottentots
and Bushmen of the Cape of G-ood Hope, and the inhabitants of Van
Diemen’s Land, are the tribes which, under similar parallels, differ
most. Such differences of races are scarcely less marked in the Tropics
of the earth ; as testified by the Negro in Afnca, the Indian in
America, and the Papuan in Polynesia. In the Temperate zone, we
have in the Old World the Mongolians and the Caucasians, no less
than the Indians in America, living in similar climates, yet wholly
dissimilar themselves.
History, traditions, monuments, osteological remains, every literary
record and scientific induction, all show that races have occupied substantially
the same zones or provinces from time immemorial. Since
the discovery of thé mariner’s compass, mankind have been more disturbed
in their primitive seats ; and, with the increasing facilities of
communication by land and sea, it is impossible to predict what
change^ coming ages may bring forth. The Caucasian races, which
have always been the representatives of civilization, are those alone
that have extended over and colonized all parts of the globe ; and
much of this is the work of the last three hundred years. The Creator
has implanted in this group of races an instinct that, in spite of
themselves., drives them through all difficulties, to carry out their
great mission of civilizing the earth. It is not reason, or philanthropy,
which urges them on ; hut it is destiny. When we see great divisions
of the human family increasing in numbers, spreading in all directions,
encroaching by degrees up op all other races wherever they can
live and prosper, and gradually supplanting inferior types, is it not
reasonable to conclude that they are fulfilling a law of nature ?
We have always maintained diversity of origin for the whole range
of organized beings. If it be granted, as it is on all hands, that
there have been many centres of creation, instead of one, what reason
is there to suppose that; ¡any one race of animals has sprung from a
single pair, instead of being the natural production of many pairs ?
And, as was written by us many years ago, “ if it he conceded that
there were two primitive pairs of human beings, no reason can he
assignëd why there may not have been hundreds.” 23
A gassiz thus expresses himself : —H '
“ Under such circumstances, we should ask if we are not entitled to conclude that these
races must have originated where they occur, as well as the animals and plants inhabiting