Filipinos. See [PHILIPPINES].
Fingus, or Ama-Fingu. Bantu Negroes of the Kafir division in South-east Africa, regarded by Zulus and Ama-Xosa as an inferior race.
Finno-Ugrian. A stock of the Northern Mongolic family, including (1) Ugrian or Siberian Finns, of which the chief races are [Soyots], [Ostyaks], [Samoyedes], [Voguls], [Permian Finns], [Siryanians], and [Magyars] (q.v.); (2) European Finns, divided into: (a) Volga Finns, (b) Baltic Finns.
Finns. The Finns proper are the inhabitants of Finland, between Russia and Norway. They are a Northern Mongolic race, of Finno-Ugrian stock, who are supposed to have originated beside the head waters of the Yenisei River. They entered Finland about the end of the seventh century and established themselves there, being afterwards annexed, first by Sweden and then by Russia. They are a strong, hardy race, who make excellent seamen, with round faces, fair hair and blue eyes. They are honest, highly moral and religious, and possess a remarkable ballad and folk-tale literature, of which the Kalevala is the chief example. The Baltic Finns of allied race include [Esthonians], [Karelians], [Lapps], [Livonians] and [Tavastians] (q.v.). The Volga Finns are another branch of the same people, whose chief tribe was the ancient [Bulgars] (q.v.). The Mordvins and Cheremisses, still settled on the banks of the Volga in small communities, belong to the same race.
Flathead or Salish Indians. A mixed race of North American Indians, in British Columbia and Montana.
Flemings, or Flemish. The inhabitants of Flanders, now divided between Belgium and Holland, descended from Belgic tribes settled there in Cæsar’s time. They are a Low German branch of the Teutonic stock. They are an industrious and honest, though phlegmatic, people, who played a great part in mediæval commerce.
Formosans. Natives of Formosa, of mixed Malayan and Negrito descent. They were divided into three classes by the Chinese invaders: the Pepohwan, civilised agriculturists, under Chinese rule; Sekhwan, settled tribes who acknowledged Chinese rule; and Chinhwan, the wild savage tribes of the mountains, who waged unceasing war against the invaders. The island has now passed under Japanese dominion. The Formosans in general approximate to the Malay type, but are more sturdily built.
Fox Indians. See [ALGONQUIAN].
Franks. A confederation of Germanic tribes, dwelling on the Middle and Lower Rhine in the third century. They belonged to the High German branch of the Teutonic stock. In the third and fourth centuries they began to invade Gaul, where they established a Frankish kingdom under Clovis (481–511), who adopted Christianity. This later developed into the modern State of France. The Franks were a brave and stalwart race of warriors, with blue eyes and long flowing hair, well-built and large-limbed. They were a nation of democratic fighting men, who practised agriculture in the intervals of war.
French. The inhabitants of modern France, a race of mixed origin. Among their ancestors are the Celtic [Gauls], the Teutonic [Belgae] and [Franks], the Hamitic [Iberians], the [Romans], and the Scandinavian [Normans] (q.v.). They are probably the quickest-witted and most intelligent race of modern Europe. Extremely warlike and aggressive in earlier days, they are now displaying greater devotion to the arts of peace, especially agriculture. Paris has long been the chief centre of ideas in Europe.