Reduced to their true value, the polyandry and the familial _régime_ of the Naïrs still remain a sociological fact of the greatest interest. It is at once the most complete and the most logical of polyandric systems. In reality, the Naïr marriage does not only or specially include groups of brothers or sisters; full liberty is given to the woman, save only the restrictions of class. There is no attempt, as in Thibet, to create a masculine pseudo-filiation, by arbitrarily attributing such or such children to such or such husbands. Among the Naïrs, the maternal family is instituted in all its plenitude; and lastly, their polyandry is in no way thwarted by the proportion of the sexes, for if the woman may contract marriage with several men, each one of the latter in his turn has power to enter several conjugal associations. This matrimonial _régime_ is therefore perfectly compatible with the maintenance of the population and the equilibrium of the sexes. V. _The Family among the Aborigines of Bengal._ If we proceed with our investigations by studying the familial and matrimonial _régime_ of the aborigines of Bengal, we shall find, among populations having probably a common origin, systems of family and marriage which are very dissimilar. Here and there we discover the maternal family, or customs proving that this familial fashion has formerly been in force. According to Buchanan, among the Buntar, who are neighbours to the Naïrs, a father is free during his lifetime to make presents to his children, but at his death all that he possesses goes to his sisters and their children. The Kochh, also, have no kinship or succession except through the women. The mothers arrange the marriages; the fathers never interfere, and the husband goes to live with his wife and his mother-in-law, whom he obeys. As for widows, they choose themselves young husbands when they are rich. Among the Yerkalas of Southern India, the maternal uncle has the right to claim for his sons the two eldest daughters of his sister.[1008] Among the Khasias, it is to the son of the sister that the power of the Rajah is transmitted; but this princess (_Kunwari_) has not the right to marry herself; she is subject to reasons of state, and her husband is chosen by the assembled people.[1009] The Garos have established the rule, that in marriages the right of initiative belongs to the woman; it is the young girl who distinguishes the man of her choice, tells him so, and invites him to follow her. Any advance made by a man is considered as an insult to all the clan (_mahari_) of the girl, and in order to expiate it, libations of beer and sacrifices of pigs are required, all of them at the expense of the _mahari_ of the man. The marriage of the Garos answers exactly to the ceremony of capture, only the actors change parts; it is here the bridegroom who pretends to refuse the bride, runs away and is conducted by force to his future wife amidst the lamentations of his