gatherings were
accompanied by regulated promiscuity, the class rules being the only
limitation. At others wives could be lent or temporarily exchanged by
the husbands[182]. The Geawe-gal held festivals at which wives were lent
to young men, subject to class laws[183]. In other cases the exchange
was limited to brothers or men of the same totem[184]. Among the
Kamilaroi a wife was lent to friendly visitors but only with her
consent. In all these cases we see a state of things similar to or not
unlike the relations of the Dieri _pirrauru_ spouses, and it should be
noted that it is at tribal gatherings that the latter can claim to
exercise their rights. From this it appears that the Dieri custom
amounts to an ear-marking of certain women for the use of certain men,
and is consequently a limitation of the common custom; in consideration
of the fact that the _pirrauru_ men protect them in the absence of their
husbands, they are permitted at the same time to exercise marital
rights, provided their own primary spouses are absent.

Among the Wiimbaio, when sickness was believed to be coming down the
Murray[185], and among the Kurnai, when the _Aurora australis_ was
seen[186], an exchange of wives was ordered by the old men to avert the
threatened evil[187]. This is explained by Dr Howitt as a reversion to
the ancient custom of group marriage. It is however not quite clear on
what grounds it is necessary to treat it as a survival at all. If a day
of prayer and fasting is ordered in order to avert national calamities,
it does not follow that the nation in question was in the habit of
perpetual prayer and fasting at some previous stage of its existence.
Moreover, if the magical rite was formerly the universal practice we may
well ask what induced the tribes which believe in its efficacy to adopt
a new form of marriage. _Ex hypothesi_, it is pleasing to Mungan, or
good against disease; knowing this, they have not hesitated to abolish
group marriage, but apparently without incurring Mungan's wrath, or
bringing any epidemic upon them.

Among the Narrinyeri[188], the old men have a right of access to the
newly initiated girls, but apparently Dr Howitt does not regard this as
a survival. On the other hand the _narumbe_ (initiated youths), who may
not at this period take wives, had unrestricted rights over the younger
women, those "of his own class and totem not excepted," and this Dr
Howitt regards as a survival from the days of the