r to him. The groom
then with the little finger of his right hand marks the girl on the
forehead with vermilion, and then, linking the same finger with the
little finger of her right hand, he leads her away to his own house.

"The god of hunting is called Autga, and at the close of every
successful expedition a thank-offering is made to him. This is the
favourite pastime, and one of the chief occupations of the Malers,
and they have their game laws, which are strictly enforced. If a man,
losing an animal which he has killed or wounded, seeks for assistance
to find it, those who aid are entitled to one-half of the animal when
found. Another person accidentally coming on dead or wounded game and
appropriating it, is subjected to a severe fine. The Manjhi or headman
of the village is entitled to a share of all game killed by any of his
people. Any one who kills a hunting dog is fined twelve rupees. Certain
parts of an animal are tabooed to females as food, and if they infringe
this law Autga is offended and game becomes scarce. When the hunters
are unsuccessful it is often assumed that this is the cause, and the
augur never fails to point out the transgressing female, who must
provide a propitiatory offering. The Malers use poisoned arrows,
and when they kill game the flesh round the wound is cut off and
thrown away as unfit for food. Cats are under the protection of the
game laws, and a person found guilty of killing one is made to give
a small quantity of salt to every child in the village.

"I nowhere find any description of the dances and songs of the
Paharias. Mr. Atkinson found the Malers extremely reticent on the
subject, and with difficulty elicited that they had a dancing-place
in every village, but it is only when under the influence of God
Bacchus that they indulge in the amusement. All accounts agree in
ascribing to the Paharias an immoderate devotion to strong drink, and
Buchanan tells us that when they are dancing a person goes round with
a pitcher of the home-brew and, without disarranging the performers,
who are probably linked together by circling or entwining arms, pours
into the mouth of each, male and female, a refreshing and invigorating
draught. The beverage is the universal _pachwai_, that is, fermented
grain. The grain, either maize, rice or _janera_ (_Holcus sorghum_),
is boiled and spread out on a mat to cool. It is then mixed with a
ferment of vegetables called _takar_, and kept in a large earth