THE KOSTROMAS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1899, 7 September 1874, Page 3

THE KOSTROMAS.

A Scotch paper says : — These singular specimens of humanity were presented at the Waverly Rooms, Edinburgh, to a select company of gentlemen, embracing prominent members of the medical profession, professors in the University, civic authorities and others. The Kostromas father and son, were found in the northern region of Russia, and are distinguished by a profused growth of hair over the forehead and entire face. The hair has been described as woolly, but is rather silken in its softness. On the man's forehead it grows in profusion, and is brushed back over the forehead. It is also abundant on the sides of the nose. The little boy, three or four years of age, has the same growth of hair over the forehead, down both sides of the nose. The man submitted with great good humor to examination by the medical gentlement present, taking off his boot to show his foot, and laughing good-naturedly at the minute inspection of his toes. His muscular development is very great, but there is an expression of gentleness and repose in the countenance which gives no sign of a state of barbarism. These two have been spoken of as specimens of the missing link which Darwin- j ianism is in search of. The suggestion is ridiculous. They are very plainly members of the human family. Both in father and son the hand and foot are those of out ovra race. In ihe hand, the thumb is exactly, in its length and form that of the human hand. There is no approximation to the configuration of the monkey, dog, or any of the lower animals. The hand of the child is as neat a hand as one may wish to see. The development of the skull is good. The father's face wears an expression of great placidity. The boy would be regarded as a pleasant, intelligent, and rather attractive child, who would pass muster i nany gathering without remark, but for the tuft of soft hair on both sides of the nose. Both conversed freely in Russ with their attendant the father explaining to the medical gentlemen that he had caught cold in Liverpool. The boy moved about among tha company with no evidence of shyness.