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Show 3:1.0 SEXUAL SELECTION: :MAN. l'ART [f. " culpaule imlifferenr.e towards her children, if sho did "not employ artificial means to shupo the calf of the leg "after tlte fashion of the country." In the Old and Now World the shape of the skull was formerly modified. during infancy in the most extraordinary manner, as is still the ca e in many places, anrl snch deformities ar0 considered ornamental. For instance, the savages of Oolomuia 39 deem a much flattened head "an essential "point of Leauty." 'rhe haie is treated with especial care in various countries; it is allowed. to grow to fnll length, so as io rench to the ground, or is combed into "a compac·t "frii:zled mop, which is the Papuan's pride and glory." 40 In Northern Africa "a man requires a period of from " eight to ten years to perfect his coiffure." With other nations the head is shaved, and in parts of South America and Africa even tho eyebrows are eradicated. The natives of the Upper Nile knock out the four front teeth, saying that they do not wish to resemble brnteR. Further south, tho Bntoh·as knock out the two upper incisors, which, as Livingstone 41 remarks, gives the fiu·e a hideous appearance, owing to the growth of the lower jaw; but these people think the presence of the incisors most unsightly, and on beholding some Enropeans, cried out, "Look at the great teeth ! " ~rhe great chief Sebituani tried in vain to alter this fashion. In various parts of Africa and in the Malay Archipelago the natives file the incisor teeth into points like those of a saw, or pierce them with holes, into which they insert studs. 80 Quoted by Prichard, 'Phys. Ilist. of Mankind,' 4th edit. vol. i. 1851, p. 321. 40 On the Papunns, Wallace, 'The Malay Archipelago,' vol. ii. p. 445. On the coifl'ure of the Africans, Sir S. Baker, 'The Albert N'ynnzn.' vol. i. p. 210. u 'Tmvels, p. 533. C IIAP. XIX. LOVE OF ORNAMENTS. 341 As tho face with us is chiefly admired for its beauty, so with savages it is the chief seat of mutilation. In all quarters of tho world the septum, and more rarely tho wings of the nose arc picrcccl, with rings, sticks, feathers, and other ornaments inserted into the holes. 'L'Ite ears are everywhere pierced and. similarly ornamented, and with the Botucudos and Lcngnas of South America the hole is gradually so mnch enlarged tltat the lower edge tonches the shouluer. ln North and South Ameri ·a and in Africa either the upper or lower lip is pierced; ~md with the Botocuc.los the hole in the ]ower lip is so large that a disc of wood. four inches in diameter is lJlacccl in it. Mantegazza gives a curious P.CCOunt of the shame felt uy a South American native, and of the ridicule which he excited, when he sold his ie1nbeta,-the large coloured piece of wood which is passed through the hole. In central Africa the women perforate tho lower lip and wear u crystal, whieh, from the movement of the tongue, has '·a wriggling motion "inc.l.escriLably ludicrous dUL·ing conversation." The wife of the chief of Latooka told Sir S. Baker 42 that his "wife would be much improved if she would extract " her four front teeth from the lower jaw, and wear the ''long pointed polished crystal in her under lip." Further soutl! with the Makalolo, the upper lip is perforated, and a large metal anrl bamboo ring, called a pelele, is worn in the hole. "This caused the hp in one case to "project two inches beyond tho tip of the nose; and "when the lady smiled the contraction of the muscles "elevated it over the eyes. ''Why do the women wear "'these things?' the venerable chief, Chinsurdi, was "asked. Evidently surprised at such a stupid question, "he replied, ' For beauty! They are the only beautiful 4 ~ ''fbc Albert N'yanz~t,' 1866, vol. i. p. 217. |