corruption of the name betokening the corruption of the caste.” [69] 3. It has been suggested [70] that the legend that they were Brâhmans degraded at the feast of Jarasandha points to the fact that after the downfall of Buddhism, the Bâbhans were those Brâhmans (with whom there was possibly some admixture of Râjputs) who were either converted to the Buddhistic faith or chose to live under the Buddhistic system with a changed status. Of this, however, there is no evidence. 4. On their relations to Brâhmans and Râjputs a competent observer, Mr. J. R. Reid, writes [71]:—“Their Brâhman and Chhatri neighbours generally insinuate that they are of mixed breed, the offspring of Brâhman men and Chhatri women, or of Chhatri men and Brâhman women. By other castes they are regarded as a kind of Chhatri, and are spoken of, and indeed often speak of themselves, as Bhuînhâr Thâkurs. Their clans (gotra) are the same as those of the Brâhmans, and, like the latter, the Bhuînhârs wear a thread (janeû) ninety-six hands breadth (chaua) in length, the Chhatri’s thread being eighty only. They do not perform priestly offices, nor receive offerings given from a religious motive (dân, dakshina); but they are saluted with the pranâm, or pâêlagi, and return the salutation with a blessing (asîrbâd). Physically they are of the same type as the Brâhman or Chhatri. In character they resemble the former more than the latter; and the following proverbs are in vogue:— Nadi kai bhânwak, Bhuînhâr kai ghânwak. Sabse chatur Banya, tese chatur Sunâr; Lasê lûse lâike tehi thâgê Bhuînhâr. “The Bhuînhâr is as uncertain as the current of the rivulet. Cutest of all is the Banya; cuter than him is the goldsmith; but the Bhuînhâr with his wiles tricks them both.” “Brâhmans do not eat with them, nor do Râjputs. Possibly the existence of the Bhuînhâr class is also evidence of the time when the bonds of caste, as we know them, had not been forged, or, if forged, were not worn by those who pushed forward into new settlements beyond the old. It has been pointed out that to the non-Aryan inhabitants of the country all Aryans were of one caste,—all Brâhmans. Within the Aryan body the exchange of priestly for military employment was not impossible, and did not involve degradation. It is unnecessary, therefore, to believe that all Bhuînhârs are Brâhmans of inferior, because illegitimate stock. They may be as true born as the Brâhmans or Chhatris who surround them, and many of whom they possibly preceded in the occupation of the land. Further, it seems probable that many so called Kshatriya tribes are Brâhmans who have fallen from their former status.”