MANIFESTED IN HUMAN SOCIETY 187 



the latter months are characterised by a minimum of 

 conceptions. Among the Kaffirs, more children are 

 conceived in November and December than in any other 

 month, although, according to the Rev. H. T. Cousins, 

 food is most abundant among them from March to 

 September. And among the Bateke, the maximum 

 of conceptions falls in December and January, although 

 food is, as I am informed by Dr. Sims, most plentiful in 

 the dry season, that is, from May to the end of August. 



" On the other hand, the periodical increase of con- 

 ceptions cannot be explained by the opposite hypothesis 

 entertained by some physiologists, that the power of 

 reproduction is increased by want and distress. Among 

 the Western Australians and Californians, for instance, 

 the * season of love ' is accompanied by a surplus of food, 

 and in the home of the Bakongo, among whom Mr. 

 Ingham believes most conceptions to take place in Decem- 

 ber and January, food is, according to him, most abundant 

 precisely in these months and February." 1 



The " season of love " has no necessary connection 

 with the maximum number of conceptions. Thus in 

 support of the theory we have a number of fairly definite 

 facts, and against it merely an opinion that the maximum 

 number of conceptions among the Bakongo occurs during 

 the season of plenty. A careful investigation would 

 probably show clearly the action of the principle wherever 

 the facts are sufficiently clear to justify an inference. 

 1 Th* History of Human Marriage, Westermarok. 



