ETHNOGRAPHY (from the Greek e(hoc, a people, and ypcfic.sev, to write) also studies men in communities ; but it differs from Ethnology by confining itself to the collection of facts and the description of actual relations and customs. It does not undertake to explain their origin, their influence, and their sociologic significance. These belong to Eth nology, in the proper sense of the term.
Erect the classifications of zoologists man is stated to be a mammal and to belong to the order of Primates, which also includes the highest species of apes—the gorilla, the chimpanzee, and the orang outang. But be is at once distinguished from these and all other animals by his adoption of the erect posture in walking. This he is enabled to do by virtue of several marked peculiarities of his anatomical conforma tion. His head rests on his vertebral column or backbone almost at the centre of the base of the skull, whereas in other animals the point of connection is much more to the rear of the skull. The weight, there fore, of his head is evenly balanced on its support ; and so systematic is this arrangement that in races, as the African, where the jaws are devel oped to an uncommon degree forward, the back of the head has a corre sponding extension backward, so as to compensate for the additional weight in front.
His spinal column gradually increases in size toward the base, and is so disposed in curves as to break the effect of shocks, at the same time that the weight above is distributed exactly in the line of the centre of gravity. The weight of the column and the contents of the trunk are supported by a bony pelvis or basin broader and more widely expanded in proportion to the general frame than in any other animal.
Lower proportion to the trunk, the lower limbs of man are longer than in any other mammal, the kangaroo not excepted. Their great length, indeed, prevents him from walking in any other than the erect attitude. They are in marked contrast with the short and bowed legs of the gorilla, chimpanzee, or orang-outang. These apes, which are the highest in the scale of animals below man, rarely attempt progression in the standing position, and when they do they are obliged to support themselves by using their forearms somewhat in the manner of crutches, placing the right and left knuckles alternately on the ground.
foot of man is broader, stronger, and larger in proportion to the size of the body than in any other animal, so that man can stand on one leg, which no other mammal can do. The heel is extended behind at right angles to the line of the limb, thus forming a powerful lever for the great muscles of the calf of the leg which raise the body in walking, while the bones of the great toe are proportionately strong and form the chief support upon which the body may be raised. By this disposition of parts it results that when a man stands erect a vertical line from the top of his head would pass through the junction of the head and spinal column, follow the latter to the pelvis, and be equally distributed between the hips, knees, and feet. This explains why a man can carry a weight on the top of his head easier than in any other way, as is readily discov ered by laundresses and others whose duties oblige them frequently to carry burdens (pl. 1, fig. 8, b, d).
The indirect results of the erect position have been of the utmost importance in favoring the development of man's faculties. A few reflections will illustrate this : In the erect posture the face is placed perpendicularly under the forehead, so that the planes of both are par allel. The direction of the orbits of the eyes is thus brought to a hori zontal line, which secures the widest range of vision, and the direction of the nose thus obtained gives the greatest range to the sense of smell. In proportion to the length of his body, the eyes are more elevated than in other animals, and thus he gains a wider horizon to survey. These were by no means unimportant points of superiority when man had to measure his powers in daily contests with the wild animals of the forests.