1922.] Indian Science Congress. L.8.C. 161 
being apparently a survival of the matriarchate. Widows and 
widowers were exempted from capture and debarred from cap- 
turing. The total number of Kolams does not exceed 25,000. 
The rear of the Dravidians is brought up by three Chenchus. 
apparently casual visitors from the Hyderabad State. A Cen- 
sus Superintendent playfully tells us ‘“‘ He who would enumer- 
ate the Chenchus of the Nallamalai forest must needs first 
catch them. And a Chenchu possesses some remarkable facul- 
ties, among them the faculty of seeing things and of disappear- 
ing before things seen. Lie hidden behind a bush and watch 
a group of Chenchus crossing a forest clearing; stir a finger 
and the Chenchus are not, it is as though the earth had swal- 
lowed them up.” 
To return to our seven Kolarian tribes, the Kols and Bhils 
preserved some of their primitive customs. They do not freely 
mix with other Musalmans. Bhils seem to have attracted 
the attention of the Aryans much earlier than any other tribe, 
except perhaps the Savars, whose ancestors are sometimes 
cumbed to the invading Aryans. . ot tke 
us out of the ora main Kolarian tribes hs racea 
India, Bhils, Sawars, Kols and Bharias are known for 
