138 
solstices, seed-time, first-fruits, harvest, &c. 177. Is there 
an annual feast of the dead ? 178. Are festivals held in 
honour of particular gods ? 179. Are festivals performed by 
particular families, classes, or castes ? 180. Are there festi¬ 
vals with relation to war, victory, or such events ? 181. Are 
there festivals at the puberty of the young men and girls or 
their initiation into the duties of life ? 182. Do families 
celebrate private festivals of a religious kind, as at birth of 
a child, manhood, marriage, &c. ? 183. Do the priests take 
part in such festivals ? are sacrifices offered, &c. ? 184. Are 
there festivals at which marriageable youths and girls mix 
and matches are made ? 185. Are any festivals specially 
connected with sexual relations ? if so, what are the social 
consequences? 186. Do any festivals commemorate mythical 
or historical events with significant ceremonies, &c. ? 
187. Are any at once political and religious? do they 
afford means of moral teaching? (Initiatory Ceremonies, 
No. XXXIX.) 
Prayer. —188. Are formal prayers offered to souls of ances¬ 
tors or other divine spirits ? and in what terms ? 189. Is 
prayer offered by private persons, chiefs, or priests ? 190. Is 
prayer a private or a public ceremony, offered in the house, 
temple, or elsewhere ? 191. Is prayer solemnly made in times 
of emergency or distress ? 192. Are only temporal benefits 
asked for, as aid against enemies, safety, abundance of food, 
children, &c. ? 193. Are the gods asked to promote virtue or 
goodness in the worshipper or others ? 
Sacrifice .—194. Is sacrifice offered ? and to what deities ? 
195. Is it a private or public act ? 196. May anyone, or only 
priests, sacrifice ? .197, Is sacrifice made in temples ? What is 
offered ? 198. Is an altar used, and the offering placed on it ? 
199. Does the offering consist principally of food ? 200. Is 
it exposed, destroyed, or consumed ? 201. Is the deity con¬ 
sidered to consume it or to become possessed of it ? and how ? 
202. Is it fraudulently removed under the pretence of the 
deity having taken it ? 203. Does the deity consume the 
essence or spirit of it, leaving the material part ? if so, what 
becomes of this ? do the priests or worshippers consume or 
