196 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. { August, 1905. 
joined. Ihave seen this herb or root, and it certainly resembles two 
hands clasped together. This is said to be a mohini and is 
given by a suitor to a woman whose affections he may wish to win. 
Dr. Watt’s in his Economic Products of India mentions a vege- 
table growth of this name and he calls it “ Hagle’s claw.” (See his 
Dictionary M. 208.) He makes no-reference to its being a love- 
portion, and may be he describes an entirely different herb to that 
which is sold by the Gond women. I have mentioned the hathajorz 
here because of its connection with the following passage in The 
Sacred Tree (a work by Mrs. J. H. Philpot), page 106. ‘‘In the 
valley of Lanzo in Piedmont, lovers in doubt whether to marry 
consult the oracle in the form of a herb called concordia, the root 
of which is shaped like two hands each with its five fingers.” 
Jewellers sometimes advertize in their catalogues ladies’ brooches, 
which represent two hands clasped together. Is this merely a 
convenient emblem of friendship, or is it a survival from herbs 
which looked like clasped hands which were used as _ love- 
portions P Since scarf pins with the horse shoe are a survival of 
the primitive belief that iron wards off evil spirits, why may not 
this clasped-hand brooch also claim as ancient an ancestry P 
77. A Marriage Practice —Going through a village, I noticed 
a strange figure made of straw attached to a long bamboo hanging 
over a house. On inquiring I was told that a marriage had re- 
cently taken place in the house, and the figure which drew my 
attention was that of adeer. I then learned that itis customary after 
a marriage for the bride and bridegroom and friends to resort to the 
river or tank and wash off the huldi with which the persons of the 
bride and bridegroom have been covered ; and while this is being 
done there is much fun and joking and teasing. One of the plays at 
this time is to make a deer of straw and place a bow and arrow 
made of bamboo in the hands of the bridegroom and not let him 
go from the river till he has taken good aim and pierced the deer 
with his arrow. After striking the deer he gives chase to the 
bride who with her friends runs away to the house, and is there 
overtaken by the bridegroom and his friends. The deer is hoisted 
on a high bamboo and hangs over the house for some time. 
78, A Primitive form of Lamp Light—The Croton tiglium is: 
most commonly found throughout this Tehsil. It is used asa 
border plant for gardens and groves. The seeds of this shrub form 
a drastic purgative, and are used for this purpose by the people. 
But there is still another use made of the seeds. They are strung 
together by children in long rows, and the lowest seed is set on fire 
and the seeds burn in succession one after the other very slowly, at 
the same time giving out quite a dealoflight. This play amongst 
the children may possibly be the remains of a general practice of 
lighting the houses with the seeds of the croton strung together. 
79. Massage and Branding of Infants.—It is considered a neces- 
sity for the mother to massage her infant daily. The mother sits 
on the floor with her two legs stretched out together straight in 
front, The child is placed on its back in her lap, the head resting 
between the knees and the feet towards the mother. By the side 
