The German missionary, L. Schultze, informs us about the Central tribes that "the betrothal is solely and absolutely arranged by the father of the girl. He promises and contracts his daughter, within the limits of the class, to whomsoever he pleases." "A youth cannot select a bride for himself, or a girl a bridegroom." "The betrothal is often made by the father, soon after the girl is born, from mercenary motives," for the future son-in-law is obliged to hunt and provide his father-in-law with food.[82] [82] _Loc. cit._, p. 236. We are informed about the Central tribes that "girl-stealing is not a trifling matter." Fights always ensue as the result of it.[83] [83] W. H. Willshire, _loc. cit._, p. 27. By the detailed data given by Spencer and Gillen[84] we get a good insight into the legal and customary side of the modes of obtaining wives amongst the Central tribes of the Arunta nation. Methods of securing a woman are (_a_) charming by means of magic, (_b_) capture, (_c_) elopement, (_d_) the custom of _Tualcha-Mura_, by means of which a man secures a wife for his son by making an arrangement with some other man, with regard to the latter's daughter. The legal side of the first method is shown by the fact that a man's right to a woman, secured by means "of magic, is supported by the men of his own local group."[85] Capture is the "very rarest way in which a Central Australian secures a wife." If captured by an avenging party, the woman must be lawfully allotted to one of the men (who has exclusive right to her afterwards).[86] There is an accompanying ceremony, and the decision lies in the hand of an old man, the leader of the party.[87] In cases of elopement there was always a fight, sometimes between the two parties only, sometimes their local groups taking part. There were some (tribal) relatives having a special duty of supporting the eloper. Sometimes the aggrieved husband will consent to hand over the wife; the offender has then an ordeal to undergo.[88] "The fourth and most usual method of obtaining a wife is that which is connected with the well-established custom" of _Tualcha-Mura_.[89] This is a relation between a man and his mother-in-law[90] established by a simple ceremony,[91] and it signifies that the man has the right to take as wife the daughter of the woman. In this way "practically every man in the tribe is provided with at least one woman to whom he is lawfully entitled."[92] He has a definite right over her; he may waive it or exchange it for another right over his mother-in-law's son.[93] He stands in a definite relation to his _Tualcha-Mura_ (mother-in-law); receives her hair to make his hair girdle,[94] and may not speak to her. He has the duty of providing his father-in-law with food, which is a condition for the obligations to be kept.[95] It is seldom that these obligations