336 SEXUAL selection: man. PartII. 



or more men are compelled to marry one woman, it is 

 certain that all tlie women of the tribe will get married, 

 and there will be no selection by the men of the more 

 attractive women. But under these circumstances the 

 women no doubt will have the power of choice, and 

 will prefer the more attractive men. Azara, for in- 

 stance, describes how carefully a Guana woman bargains 

 for all sorts of privileges, before accepting some one 

 or more husbands ; and the men in conseauence take 

 unusual care of their personal appearance.-^^ The very 

 ugly men would perhaps altogether fail in getting a 

 wife, or get one later in life, but the handsomer men, 

 although the most successful in obtaining wives, would 

 not, as far as we can see, leave more offspring to inherit 

 their beauty than the less handsome husbands of the 

 same women. 



Earhj Betrothals and Slavery of Women. — With 

 many savages it is the custom to betroth the females 

 whilst mere infants ; and this would effectually prevent 

 preference being exerted on either side according to 

 personal appearance. But it would not prevent the 

 more attractive women from being afterwards stolen 

 or taken by force from their husbands by the more 

 powerful men ; and this often happens in Australia, 

 America, and other parts of the world. The same con- 

 sequences with reference to sexual selection would to a 

 certain extent follow when women are valued almost 

 exclusively as slaves or beasts of burden, as is the case 

 with most savages. The men, however, at all times 

 would prefer the handsomest slaves according to their 

 standard of beauty. 



We thus see that several customs prevail with savages 



13 ( 



Voyages,' &c. torn. ii. p. 92-95. 



