These characters have been framed to meet the typical, sub-typical, and quasi-transitional, but not the true transitional forms. The reason of this is clear. Where the transition is real, and where the affiliation in the way of descent coincides with similarity of conformation, the tribe thus situated belong to two divisions, rather than to any single one.
MONGOLIDÆ.
DIVISIONS.
- A.—The Altaic Mongolidæ.
- B.—The Dioscurian Mongolidæ.
- C.—The Oceanic Mongolidæ.
- D.—The Hyperborean Mongolidæ.
- E.—The Peninsular Mongolidæ.
- F.—The American Mongolidæ.
- G.—The Indian Mongolidæ.
A.
ALTAIC MONGOLIDÆ.
The term Altaic is taken from the Altai mountains in Central Asia, these being a convenient geographical centre for the different nations and tribes comprised in this division. It contains the following sub-divisions:—
1. The Seriform Stock.
2. The Turanian Stock.