The belief in a supernatural cause of pregnancy is spread not only all over the Central and North Central area, _i. e._ among all the tribes included in the researches of Spencer and Gillen.[633] The same ignorance of physiological fatherhood is found in the whole of the Northern territory, in Queensland, and probably in West Australia. We read that among the tribes of the North-West territory of South Australia (Port Darwin and Daly River) "conception is not regarded as a direct result of cohabitation."[634] And we read in Dr. Frazer's new work: "The view is shared by all the tribes of Central and Northern Australia. In point of fact, I am informed by the Bishop of North Queensland (Dr. Frodsham) that the opinion is held by all the tribes with which he is acquainted both in North Queensland and in Central Australia, including the Arunta; not only are the natives in their savage states ignorant of the true cause of conception, but they do not readily believe it even after their admission into mission stations, and their incredulity has to be reckoned with in the efforts of the clergy to introduce a higher standard of sexual morality among them."[635] This is a very strong proof of the depth of these beliefs, and of the absolute ignorance of the natives on this point.[636] In the South-Eastern region this belief is to be found as far as the Northern part of New South Wales. We have statements of Mrs. Parker[637] which, although not very clear, seem at least to imply a great amount of magical beliefs as to procreation, if not complete ignorance of the physiological part borne by the father. With regard to the Western tribes, Mrs. Bates writes in a letter to Mr. Lang[638]: "They did not believe that procreation had anything to do with conception." [633] _Ibid._, p. 330. [634] H. Basedow, in _Trans. R.S.S.A._, xxxi. p. 4, of the reprint quoted by Prof. Frazer, _Tot. and Exog._, i. p. 576. This has been recently verified by Prof. B. Spencer; compare above, p. 209, footnote 1. [635] _Tot. and Exog._, i. pp. 576, 577. [636] That the ignorance in question was complete is also the opinion of Mr. E. S. Hartland, _loc. cit._, ii. pp. 275, 276. He adduces several reasons and statements in support of it. Compare also what we said above about the completeness of this ignorance among the Central tribes. [637] _Loc. cit._, pp. 50, 61, 98. [638] See _Man_ (1906), p. 180.