Chap. IV. MANNER OF DEVELOPMENT. 133 



be more prolific than wild men. Tt is also probable 

 that the increased fertility of civilised nations would 

 become, as with our domestic animals, an inherited 

 character: it is at least known that with mankind a 

 tendency to produce twins runs in families. 53 



Notwithstanding- that savages appear to be less pro- 

 lific than civilised people, they would no doubt rapidly 

 increase if their numbers were not by some means 

 rigidly kept down. The Santali, or hill-tribes of India, 

 have recently afforded a good illustration of this fact ; 

 for they have increased, as shewn by Mr. Hunter, 54 

 at an extraordinary rate since vaccination has been 

 introduced, other pestilences mitigated, and war sternly 

 repressed. This increase, however, would not have been 

 possible had not these rude people spread into the 

 adjoining districts and worked for hire. Savages almost 

 always marry; yet there is some prudential restraint, 

 for they do not commonly marry at the earliest possible 

 age. The young men are often required to show that 

 they can support a wife, and they generally have first 

 to earn the price with which to purchase her from her 

 parents. With savages the difficulty of obtaining sub- 

 sistence occasionally limits their number in a much 

 more direct manner than with civilised people, for all 

 tribes periodically suffer from severe famines. At such 

 times savages are forced to devour much bad food, 

 and their health can hardly fail to be injured. Many 

 accounts have been published of their protruding sto- 

 machs and emaciated limbs after and during famines. 

 They are then, also, compelled to wander much about, 

 and their infants, as I was assured in Australia, perish 



53 Mr. Sedgwick, ' British and Foreign Medico-Clrirurg. Review, ' 

 July, 18G3, p. 170. 



54 ' The Annals of Rural Bengal,' by W. W. Hunter, 1868, p. 259. 



