PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION G. 653- 
much derided, but little studied, and which it has been the 
fashion, through want of knowledge of its details, to ineonsis- 
tently compare with a much more serious pathological condition 
and remedial procedure. 
11.—THE MARRIAGE LAWS OF THE ABORIGINES 
OF NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 
By Hon. Joun Forrest, C.M.G., M.L.C. 
THE marriage laws of the aborigines of Australia are fixed upon a 
general plan which restricts, to a great extent, individual choice. 
1. When I visited North-western Australia, in 1878, I found 
that the aboriginals were divided into four families, the names of 
which are Boorunggnoo-Banigher, Kimera and Paljarie. The two 
first can intermarry, and the two last can also, but no other 
alliance is possible ; for instance, if you meet a Boorunggnoo man, 
his wife must be of the Banigher family, and the wife of a Kimera 
could only belong to the Paljarie family, and wice versa. 
2. The children, however, do not follow either the father’s or 
mother’s family ; for instance, if the father were Boorunggnoo 
the mother must be Banigher, and the children would be Kimera. 
If, however, the father were Banigher, and the mother 
Borunggnoo, the children would be Paljarie. Again, if the 
father were Kimera, the mother must be Paljarie, and the 
children would be Boorunggnoo ; but if the father were Paljarie, 
and the mother Kimera, then the children would be Banigher.. 
By this means the relationship progresses, and it follows that 
MALE. MALE AND FEMALE. 
Boorunggnoo is father to a ... Kimera 
Kimera is father to a Aa ... Boorungenoo. 
Banigher is father to... 60 ... Paljarie. 
Paljarie is father to Ee ac ... Banigher. 
FEMALE. MALE AND FEMALE. 
Boorunggnoo is mother to erg ... Paljarie. 
Paljarie is mother to... ae ... Boorungenoo. 
Banigher is mother to ... ape ... /Kimera. 
Kimera is mother to... ee ... Banigher. 
3. It therefore follows that the grandchild, in the male line, is 
of the same family as his grandfather, and in the female line of 
the same family as her grandmother. For instance, a man of the 
Boorunggnoo family (whose wife, of course, must be of the 
Banigher family) has a son, who would be Kimera, and his grand- 
son (that is, of the Boorunggnoo) would be Boorunggnoo. The 
