142 HUNTING AND FISHING EACES 



marriage, 1 and that women ceased to bear at or soon after the age 

 of thirty-five. 2 Abundant evidence is forthcoming from Australia. 

 ' Large families of children are unusual among the aborigines,' 

 says Dawson, * however many may be born, rarely more than four 

 are allowed to grow up.' 3 Lumholtz remarks that there are seldom 

 more than three or four children. 4 Mathew referring to two 

 Queensland tribes records that ' the number of children in a family 

 was small on the average. Six would be rare. I know of no 

 aboriginal family with more than five who survived infancy.' 5 

 Grey obtained some statistics in Western Australia with reference 

 to the average number of children born by women who had passed 

 child-bearing age. ' Forty-one females, of whose families I have 

 obtained (from themselves and others) lists upon the accuracy of 

 which I can rely, had 188 children, or about 4-6 children each.' 6 

 Among the native tribes of Central Australia the number of 

 children in a family rarely exceeds four or five, and is generally 

 two or three ; 7 at the same time sterility is common ; the greatest 

 fertility is noticed among the stout and the strong, whereas the 

 thin and weak have scarcely any children. 8 Eyre quotes some 

 observations of Moorehouse, also made in Central Australia, and 

 says that ' his investigations have led to the conclusion that each 

 woman has on an average five children born (nine being the 

 greatest number known) ' ; 9 Eyre adds that he agrees with this 

 estimate. Schurmann records that ' the number of children 

 reared by each family is variable, but in general very limited, 

 rarely exceeding four '. He adds the interesting information that 

 in spite of early marriage he has not observed that they have 

 children at an earlier age than is common among the Europeans, 

 and says that it is rare for a mother to have children ' in rapid 

 succession '. 10 Wilhelmi's evidence is similar ; with reference to 

 the aborigines of the Port Lincoln district he states that * the 

 number of children in a family varies considerably ; but, on the 

 whole, it is limited seldom exceeding four ' ; he also adds that 



1 Bonwick, loc. cit., p. 76. 2 Ibid., p. 85- See also Smyth, loc. cit., vol. ii, 



p. 387. 3 Dawson, Australian Aborigines, p. 39. The interesting estimate 



of Curr has been given on p. 99. In another place he says: 'The number 

 of children born, on the average, by Bangerang women I estimate at six or 

 perhaps eight ' (Recollections, p. 252). 4 Lumholtz, loc. cit., p. 134. 



5 J. Mathew, Eaglehawk and Crow, p. 165. 6 Grey, Journals, vol. ii, p. 250. 



He also remarks that, although girls are mature at twelve, ' child-bearing does not 

 often commence before the age of sixteen ' (ibid., p. 323). 7 Spencer and 



Gillen, Native Tribes of Centra!. Australia, p. 264. 8 Ibid., p. 52. 



9 Eyre, Journals, vol. ii, p. 376. l Schiirmann, Aboriginal Tribes, p. 223. 



