OF ARTS AND SCIENCES: MARCH 12, 1872. 415 



Communal marriage and the communal family continued for ages after 

 the introduction of the totemic system. The latter underwent changes 

 within itself before it reached its ultimate form, some of which it will 

 be the object of this paper to illustrate. There are nations of savages 

 now existing which have been tribally organized in all probability for 

 thousands of years, including their x-emote ancestry, amongst whom it 

 is still in a transition stage. 



The Patriarchal Family (third stage of the family) when considered 

 in its highest type # came in with the dawn of civilization. As a form 

 of the family it made but a slight impression upon human affairs, for 

 want of universality. But as an example, as well as the creation of a 

 family with a single male head, it was an advance upon any form be- 

 fore that time known, and heralded by the force of the innovation the 

 advent of the Civilized Family, or the family in its fourth stage. It 

 thus leaves but two forms through the immense periods anterior to civ- 

 ilization. When the facts are more fully ascertained, it is probable 

 that several well-marked types both of the communal and of the bar- 

 barian family will be discovered and indicated, with perhaps one or 

 more permanent forms between the two. For the present it will facil- 

 itate investigation if but the four successive forms above indicated are 

 recognized. 



Kinship and consanguinity, as used, are not convertible terms. The 

 former relates to, the connection through tribes and classes, while the 

 latter relates to the connection by blood through common descents. 



The preceding observations have been made to point out the bear- 

 ing of the facts about to be presented. 



The annexed papers on Australian kinship were furnished to the 

 writer by the Rev. Lorimer Fison, an English missionary now resi- 

 dent in Australia, who received the, principal facts from the Rev. 

 W. Ridley, an English clergyman, and another English gentleman, 

 T. E. Lance, Esq., both of whom have spent many years among the Aus- 

 tralian aborigines, and enjoyed excellent opportunities for observation. 

 They contain original information of an interesting character, show- 



* Polygamy, restricted in the main to chiefs, yielded a low form of the patri- 

 archal family; but the form intended to be indicated is identified with the pastoral 

 state, and with a limited agricultural subsistence. It presupposes a growth of the 

 idea of government beyond that of chief and followers, or even that of an oligarchy 

 of chiefs, and also a considerable development of the idea of property, with an in- 

 creased amount as well as stability of subsistence. 



