40 PRIMITIVE PATERNITY 



Several of the Dravidian tribes that have adopted 

 patrilineal reckoning preserve the relics of mother- 

 right, especially in the shape of residence by the 

 husband with his wife's family. It prevails for instance 

 among the Kharwars and Parahiya and is common 

 among the Ghasiyas in the United Provinces. In 

 all three cases the son-in-law is required to pass a 

 period of probation of one year working for his father- 

 in-law, during which he is entitled to maintenance, but 

 he has no right of inheritance in his father-in-law's 

 property. Further traces of motherright are dis- 

 coverable among the last-named tribe. Marriage 

 appears to be an affair of individual choice. " If a 

 girl fancies a young man all she has to do is to give 

 him a kick on the leg at the tribal dance of the 

 Karama, and then the parents think it as well to hasten 

 on the wedding. In fact, it seems often to be the case 

 that the man is allowed to try the girl first, and if she 

 suits him and seems likely to be fertile he marries 

 her." The wife too has rights inconsistent with 

 patrilineal custom. She may leave her husband if he 

 intrigue with another woman, or if he become insane, 

 impotent, blind or leprous. None of these bodily 

 disabilities will justify a husband's repudiation of his 

 wife ; and repudiation for adultery is uncommon, 

 because adultery within the tribe is little thought of, 

 while women are so jealously guarded against intrigues 

 with aliens that they seldom occur. " Besides this, 

 nothing but the evidence of eye-witnesses to the act of 

 adultery is accepted." * I have already mentioned 



1 Crooke, Tribes and Castes, iii. 242 ; iv. 128 ; ii. 414, 412. A 

 Bhuiya girl has only to kick a young man on the ankle during a 

 dance and the parents marry the couple forthwith (ii. 83). A 



