30 MEMOIR OF LE VAILLANT. 



colour, there are many women among them who 

 might he thought handsome by the side of a Euro- 

 pean lady. They wear cloaks or krosses made of 

 the skins of calves or oxen, which reach to the 

 feet. For ornaments and finery they care very 

 little, not even wearing copper bracelets; their 

 aprons, like those of the Gonaquas, are bordered 

 with small rows of heads the only vanity which 

 they exhibit Wives, instead of bringing dowries 

 to their husbands, are usually purchased with cattle. 

 When the bargain is adjusted, the chief of the tribe 

 publicly gives ihe nuptial exhortation, by desiring 

 the bride to be a dutiful and industrious helpmate, 

 and recommending the bridegroom to labour zeal- 

 ously for the support of his family, not forgetting to 

 remind him to pay his taxes, and provide an occa- 

 sional entertainment for his chief. 



The Travels of M. Le Yaillant have been trans- 

 lated into most of the European languages. Of his 

 scientific works, we may mention his " Natural 

 History of the Birds of Africa," which was published 

 in Paris in 6 vols. 4to. between the years 1796 and 

 1812. His " Natural History of Parroquets" was 

 published in 1801-5 in 2 vols. 4to., and his " Natu- 

 ral History of the Birds of Paradise" appeared at 

 the same time, also in quarto. He produced one or 

 two other works on his favourite subject of ornitho- 

 logy, which are not so well known to the English 

 public as the preceding. His drawings are distin- 

 ^lianpd for their fidelity to nature, as he had seen 

 #L ioeir native naoitats almost every bird which he 



