Both parties being of perfect health and strength the birth 

 of children — so keenly desired by most aborigines — is among 

 the Seri cause of great rejoicing; yet twins are not regarded 

 with favor and the birth of triplets is considered monstrous 

 and the mother is generally put to death. 



The significant character of these monagamous unions — 

 which seem to remain permanent — the absence of purchase 

 price and dowry, and the probationary marriage are remark- 

 able features rarely met with elsewhere among aborigines. 

 It is only among some of the Australian native tribes and the 

 Patawats of California that the practive of "half marriages" 

 prevails, and these also exclude the purchase, capture and 

 elopement features so generally a part of primitive unions. 



Eugenic Result. 



Through an original desire to propitiate mystical deities 

 gradually evolving into tribal customs and laws, the Seri has' 

 by long centuries of practice reached a plane of typical eth- 

 nogamy. By circumscribing the matrimonial selection and 

 consummation he has produced one of the most perfect exam- 

 ples of tribe-sense. By continuous observance without excep- 

 tion of certain rules the race has gained wonderful attributes 

 in the assemblage of units artificially produced to meet the 

 exigencies of their difficult existence; there has constantly 

 been developed stronger, fleeter footed men and women capable 

 of bearing heavier burdens, physical features best calculated 

 to assist the growth and maintenance of the tribe. 



Since this has been the Seri ideal by the strict supervision 

 of the union, which is continued in the rearing of the children, 

 he has attained the desired results. He has produced a type 

 of men six feet and over in height, women from five feet eight 

 to six feet; erect, of easy carriage, with broad deep chests, 

 limbs remarkably slender if often out of proportion, large 

 feet, and a luxuriant growth of long hair. The endurance of 

 the race is extraordinary, its fleetness of foot almost beyond 

 belief and its fishing ability without parallel. Besides his 

 moral attributes are equally unusual. The Seri has such an 

 antipathy for aliens that the sight of one produces upon him 

 the same effect that the sight of a wolf does upon a dog — his 

 hair rises in anger, as has often been observed. It is only 

 upon rare occasions that a Seri has been captured alive, for 

 in a physical reflex action of a mental attitude superinduced 

 by centuries of practice, he prefers to die rather than look upon 

 an alien's face; his valor and resistance have never been sur- 

 passed. 



Thus the ideal of a people, suitably located upon an island 

 which by its very inaccessibility offered the best condition for 

 the development and retention of customs, has been fully 



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