Chap. IV. 
MANNER OF DEVELOPMENT. 
133 
be more prolific than wild men. It is also probable 
that the increased fertility of civilised nations would 
become, as with our domestic animals, an inherited 
character: it is at least known that with mankind a 
tendency to produce twins runs in families . 53 
Notwithstanding that savages appear to be less pro- 
lific than civilised people, they would no doubt rapidly 
increase if their numbers were not by some means 
rigidly kept down. The Santali, or hill-tribes of India, 
have recently afforded a good illustration of this fact ; 
for they have increased, as shewn by Mr. Hunter , 54 
at an extraordinary rate since vaccination has been 
introduced, other pestilences mitigated, and war sternly 
repressed. This increase, however, would not have been 
possible had not these rude people spread into the 
adjoining districts and worked for hire. Savages almost 
always marry; yet there is some prudential restraint, 
for they do not commonly marry at the earliest possible 
age. The young men are often required to show that 
they can support a wife, and they generally have first 
to earn the price with which to purchase her from her 
parents. With savages the difficulty of obtaining sub- 
sistence occasionally limits their number in a much 
more direct manner than with civilised people, for all 
tribes periodically suffer from severe famines. At such 
times savages are forced to devour much bad food, 
and their health can hardly fail to be injured. Many 
accounts have been published of their protruding sto- 
machs and emaciated limbs after and during famines. 
They are then, also, compelled to wander much about, 
and their infants, as I was assured in Australia, perish 
53 Mr. Sedgwick, 4 British and Foreign Medico- Cliirurg. Review, ’ 
July, 18GB, p. 170. 
34 ‘ The Annals of Rural Bengal,’ by W. W. Hunter, 1888, p. 259. 
