BIRTH AND BURIAL. 209 nothing, and a poor man desirous of entering the wedded state need only apply to his chief in order to have his desire gratified, without being called upon to make payment for his bride.

Monbuttu women are celebrated for their fecundity, and children are looked upon as a blessing. It is a remarkable fact that far more female children are born than males. Sterility is a disgrace, and sometimes results in the wife being _~ returned to her father. Usually, however, the husband prefers to add to his wives, in the hope of obtaining children. The Monbuttu profess to be in possession of roots which cure both impotence and sterility. Cases of flagrant adultery are brought under the notice of the chief, who confiscates the property of the adulterer, and gives two-thirds of it to the woman’s father and one-third to the injured man. ‘The reason for this unequal division is, that the father of the adultress has to provide the injured husband with another wife, usually a sister of the guilty woman, who generally remains in her father’s house.

Women in labour lie upon the side; cases of difficult labour or retention of the placenta are treated by the application of counter-irritating plants to the abdomen. ‘The birth of twins is considered to be very fortunate, and is celebrated by a great feast, to which all neighbours bring presents. The placenta is placed in a jar and carried in a great procession to be buried in the middle of a road; after this is accomplished it is customary for every one when leaving the spot to pluck two leaves, and after spitting upon them, to throw one to the right hand and the other to the left. Twins are distinguished by special names; if they are males, they are called abwri and nabese, if females, abuda and tindade, the first name being given to the first-born, and the second to the last-born.

When a man dies, the whole of his property goes to the eldest son, who adds to his harem all his father’s wives who have children—except his own mother—but divides the childless wives among his brothers, with such portions from the paternal property as he may think fit. At the few burials which take place, very few ceremonies appear to be practised, for body-snatching is the rule. The Majé, a tribe in the Monbuttu country, appear to occupy quite an exceptional position in this respect, for they are said to burn their dead O