v^HAP. XX. Man— Checks to Sexual Selection. £93 



the more attractive women would generally liave been purchased. 

 The incessant crossing, however, between tribe and tribe, which 

 necessarily follows from any form of this habit, would tend to 

 keep all the people inhabiting the same country nearly uniform 

 in character ; and this would interfere with the power of sexual 

 selection in differentiating the tribes. 



The scarcity of women, consequent on female infanticide, leads, 

 also, to another practice, tliat of polyandry, still common in 

 several parts of the world, and which formerly, as Mr. M'Lennan 

 bolieves, prevailed almost universally; but this latter conclusion 

 is doubted by Mr. Morgan and Sir. J. Lubbock " Whenever two 

 or more men are compelled to marry one woman, it is certain 

 that all the women of the tribe will get married, and there will 

 be no selection by the men of the more attractive women. But 

 under these circumstances the women no doubt will have the 

 power of choice, and will prefer the more attractive men. Azara, 

 for instance, describes how carefully a Guana woman bargains 

 for all sorts of privileges, before accepting some one or more 

 husbands ; and the men in consequence take unusual care of 

 their personal appearance. So amongst the Todas of India, who 

 practise polyandry, the girls can accept or refuse any man.'" 

 A very ugly man in these cases would perhaps altogether fail 

 in getting a wife, or get one later in life; but the handsomer 

 men, although more successful in obtaining wives, would not, as 

 far as we can see, leave more offspring to inherit their beauty 

 than the less handsome husbands of the same women. 



Early Betrothals and Slavery of Women. — With many savages 

 it is the custom to betroth the females whilst mere infants; and 

 this would effectually prevent preference being exerted on either 

 side according to personal appearance. But it would not prevent 

 the more attractive women from being afterwards stolen or taken 

 by force from their husbands by the more powerful men ; and 

 this often happens in Australia, America, and elsewhere. The 

 same consequences with reference to sexual selection would to a 

 certain extent follow, when women are valued almost solely as 

 slaves or beasts of burden, as is the case with many . savages. 

 The men, however, at all times would prefer the handsomest 

 slaves according to their standard of beauty. 



We thus see that several customs prevail with savages which 

 must greatly interfere with, or completely stop, the action of 

 sexual selection. On the other hand, the conditions of life to 



'* ' Primitive Marriage,' p. 208 ; polyandry. 

 Sir J. Lubbock, ' Origin of Civilisa- " Azara, ' Voyages,' &c. torn, ii 



ticn,' p, 100. See also Mr. Morgan, pp. 92-95, Colonel Marshall, 



luc. cit., on the former prevalence of 'Amongst the Todas, p. 212. 



39 



