348 SEXUAL SELECTION : MAN. Part IL 



In several of the tribes of ISTorth America the hair 

 on the head grows to a wonderful length ; and Catlin 

 gives a curious proof how much this is esteemed, for 

 the chief of the Crows was elected to this office from 

 having the longest hair of any man in the tribe, namely 

 ten feet and seven inches. The Aymaras and Quichuas 

 of S. America, likewise have very long hair ; and this, 

 as Mr. D. Forbes informs me, is so much valued for 

 the sake of beauty, that cutting it off was the severest 

 punishment which he could inflict on them. In both 

 halves of the continent the natives sometimes increase 

 the apparent length of their hair by weaving into 

 it fibrous substances. Although tlie hair on the head 

 is thus cherished, that on the face is considered by 

 the North American Indians " as very vulgar," and 

 every hair is carefully eradicated. This practice pre- 

 vails throughout the American continent from Van- 

 couver's Island in the north to Tierra del Fue2:o in the 

 south. When York Minster, a Fuegian on board the 

 " Beagle " was taken back to his country, the natives told 

 him he ought to pull out the few short hairs on his face. 

 They also threatened a young missionary, who was left 

 for a time with them, to strip him naked, and pluck 

 the hairs from his face and body, yet he was far from 

 a hairy man. This fashion is carried to such an ex- 

 treme that the Indians of Paraguay eradicate their eye- 

 brows and eyelashes, saying that they do not wish to 

 be like horses.^^ 



It is remarkable that throughout the world the races 



d'Orligny, as quoted in Prichard, ' Phj's. Hist, of Mankind,' vol. v. 3rd 

 edit. p. 47G. 



" 'North American Indians,' by G. Catlin, 3rd edit. 1842, vol. i. p. 

 49 ; vol. ii. p. 227. On the natives of Vancouver Island, see Sproat, 

 • Scenes and Studies of Savage Life,' 18G8, p. 25. On the Indians of 

 Paraguay, Azara, ' Voyages,' torn. ii. p. 105. 



