740 THE DESCENT OF MAN 



leg after the fashion of the country." In the Old and New 

 Worlds the shape of the skull was formerly modified during 

 infancy in the most extraordinary manner, as is still the 

 case in many places, and such deformities are considered 

 ornamental. For instance, the savages of Colombia*' deem 

 a much flattened head "an essential point of beauty." 



The hair is treated with especial care in various coun- 

 tries; it is allowed to grow to full length, so as to reach 

 to the ground, or is combed into "a compact frizzled mop, 

 which is the Papuan's pride and glory."" In Northern 

 Africa "a man requires a period of from eight to ten years 

 to perfect his coiffure." With other nations the head is 

 shaved, and in parts of South America and Africa even 

 the eyebrows and eyelashes are eradicated. The natives 

 of the Upper Nile knock out the four front teeth, saying 

 that they do not wish to resemble brutes. Further south, " 

 the Batokas knock out only the two upper incisors, which, 

 as Livingstone" remarks, gives the face a hideous appear- 

 ance, owing to the prominence of the lower jaw; but these 

 people think the presence of the incisors most unsightly, 

 and on beholding some Europeans, cried out, "Look at 

 the great teeth!" The chief Sebituani tried in vain to 

 alter this fashion. In various parts of Africa and in the 

 Malay Archipelago the natives file the incisors into points 

 like those of a saw, or pierce them with holes, into which 

 they insert studs. 



As the face with us is chiefly admired for its beauty, so 

 with savages it is the chief seat of mutilation. In all quar- 

 ters of the world the septum, and, more rarely, the wings 

 of the nose are pierced; rings, sticks, feathers, and other 

 ornaments being inserted into the holes. The ears are 

 everywhere pierced and similarly ornamented, and with 



« Quoted by Prichard, "Phys. Hist, of Mankind," 4th edit., vol. i, 1851, 

 p. 321. 



« On the Papuans, Wallace, "The Malay Archipelago," voL iL p. 445. On 

 the coiflure of the Africans, Sir S. Baker, "The Alhert N'yanza," voL L p. 210. 



•" "Travels," p. 533. 



