302 THE PYGMY RACES OF MEN xix 



6 J inches the average for the women. In many of their 

 moral characteristics they resemble the Andamanese. The 

 Ae'tas are faithful to their marriage vows, and have but one 

 wife. The affection of parents for children is very strong, 

 and the latter have for their father and mother much love 

 and respect. The marriage ceremony, according to M. Montano, 

 is very remarkable. The affianced pair climb two flexible 

 trees placed near to each other. One of the elders of the 

 tribe bends them towards each other. When their heads 

 touch, the marriage is legally accomplished. A great fete, 

 with much dancing, concludes the ceremony. 



It was afterwards found that the same race existed in 

 other parts of the archipelago, Panay, Mindanao, etc., and 

 that they entirely peopled some little islands among others, 

 Bougas Island, or " Isla de los Negros." 



As the islands of these eastern seas have become better 

 known, further discoveries of the existence of a small Negroid 

 population have been made in Formosa, in the interior of 

 Borneo, Sandalwood Island (Sumba), Xulla, Bourou, Ceram, 

 Flores, Solor, Lomblem, Pantar, Ombay, the eastern peninsula 

 of Celebes, etc. In fact, Sumatra and Java are the only large 

 islands of this great area which contain no traces of them 

 except some doubtful cross-breeds, and some remains of an 

 industry which appears not to have passed beyond the Age of 

 Stone. 



The Sunda Islands form the southern limit of the Negrito 

 area; Formosa, the last to the north, where the race has 

 preserved all its characters. But beyond this, as in Loo Choo, 

 and even in the south-east portion of Japan, it reveals its 

 former existence by the traces it has left in the present 

 population. That it has contributed considerably to form 

 the population of New Guinea is unquestionable. In many 

 parts of that great island, small, round-headed tribes live 

 more or less distinct from the larger and longer-headed people 

 who make up the bulk of the population. 



But it is not only in the islands that the Negrito race 

 dwell. Traces of them are found also on the mainland of 

 Asia, but everywhere under the same conditions ; in scattered 

 tribes, occupying the more inaccessible mountainous regions 



