GbO SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1882. 



part of anthropology which have found their way into that great col- 

 lection. In the Index Medicus, under "biology" and " i)hysiology," will be 

 found many references to sociological subjects, and in the volume of the 

 Index-Catalogue, issued in 1882, many more under the words "circum- 

 cision," "civilization" as related to medicine, "cosmetics," "cremation," 

 ^* crime," and "criminals." 



The practice of polyandry is known to have existed in many tribes of 

 antiquity. Prof. John Avery has been collecting the evidences of its 

 existence in modern times. It is in that part of India where the popula- 

 tion is mostly non-Aryan and the influence of Hinduism is less prevalent, 

 that polyandry is best illustrated. It is practiced by some of the lower 

 agricultural castes among the Telugus, and by the Moplas and Nairs of 

 Malabar, The most noteworthy instance found in India is among tbe 

 rude tribe known as Todas. In case the husband of a female has 

 brothers they may be admitted to a share in the wife on payment of 

 their proportion of the dower. If they have snflficient means, they may 

 also each purchase a wife in the manner described, and take the other 

 brothers in as partners. Thus a group of brothers may in a i^erfectly 

 lawful way have several wives in common. If a husband dies, care is 

 taken that the widow shall not re-marry out of the family. {Am. Anti- 

 quarian, IV, pp. 48-53.) 



One of the most thoughtful and philanthroT)ic publications during 

 the year upon sociological subjects is a paper by Sir H. Bartle Frere, on 

 the laws afl'ecting the relations between civilized and savage life, as 

 bearing on the dealings of colonists with aborigines. Is it possible for 

 an uncivilized race to continue to exist as uncivilized in the immediate 

 neighborhood of a civilized race? After reviewing with great leuruiug 

 the immigration of the Aryan races into India and their contact with 

 the natives of the peninsula, the reservation plan of the Chaldseans, 

 Assyrians, Babylonians, Medians, and Persians, the shepherd kings of the 

 Egyptians, the early conquest of Greece, the conquests of Pome, and 

 especially the sett'ements of English colonies in America, India, and 

 Africa, the writer is led to the following conclusions: 



1. That it is possible for the civilized to overcome and destroy by 

 war the uncivilized and savage race. 



2. That simple proximity has led to the extinction of the savage race. 



3. That the changes which have occurred in the native races conse- 

 quent upon the proximity of European colonists are an advance in civil- 

 ization and approximation to the types of European civilization. 



4. That the essentials to development are: 



a. Such a peace as the Romans and the English have insured to sub- 

 ject races, as a consequence of civilized sovereignty, bringing with it — 



h. Protection for life and property, and practical equality before the 

 law, leading to a substitution of individual property for tribal commun- 

 age, involving the abolition of slavery, also private rights of making 

 war and of carrying private arms. 



