THE MISSING LINK.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1083, 15 March 1883, Page 1

THE MISSING LINK.

A Mr Bock has captured and brought to England a curious specimen of the human species, whose exhibition will most likely give rise again to discussion on the Darwinian theory. Tl>is representation of the * hairy people ’ is of the female sex, between six and seven years of age, and is called ‘ Krao.’ It is asserted that she is one of a family captured in the jungle of Laos, the father having died of cholera in captivity, while the chief of the district in which the capture took place refused to allow the mother to leave the country. In addition to her hairy covering, the peculiarities that distinguish * Krao * from an ordinary human being are a double set of teeth in the upper jaw, the asserted presence in a rudimentary state of the gorilla tusk, the absence of certain muscles in the arm, and of the upper cartilage in the ear. ; The presumed existence of the extra rib and’ an additional joint in the vertebras are also held to indicate the . possibility of the development of a rudimentary tail. The expression of the features is pleasant, the face is round, somewhat flat eyes large, of a liquid brown color, and. very expressive. The nose and cheek' are somewhat bulbous, and Mr Farini says that inside the cheeks are pouchliko cavities similar to those in the monkey, tribe. The toes as well as the fingers are prehensile, and the joints of both, awell as the soles of the feet, can be beni backwards to a right angle. ‘ Krao’ is very good-natured, and, judging In one or two incidents that look place when Mr Farini exhibited her to na turalists and representatives of th<Press at the Westminster Aquarium, is intelligent, and possessed of a good memory. She repeats in English after Mr Farini several phrases distinctly, clearly, and iu a rather musical voice,