icly, that the evidence for sacrifice
of the totem, and communion in eating him, is very scanty. The fact is
rather inferred from rites among peoples just emerging from totemism (see
the case of the Californian buzzard, in Bancroft) than derived from
actual observation. On this head too much has been taken for granted by
anthropologists. But I learn that direct evidence has been obtained, and
is on the point of publication. The facts I may not anticipate here, but
the evidence will be properly sifted, and bias of theory discounted.

To return to my theory of the development of Dionysus into a totem, or of
his inheritance of the rites of a totem, Mr. Frazer says, 'Of course this
is possible, but it is not yet certain that Aryans ever had totemism.'
{84d} Now, in writing of the mouse, I had taken care to observe that, in
origin, the mouse as a totem need not have been Aryan, but adopted.
People who think that the Aryans did not pass through a stage of
totemism, female kin, and so forth, can always fall back (to account for
apparent survivals of such things among Aryans) on 'Pre-Aryan conquered
peoples,' such as the Picts. Aryans may be enticed by these bad races
and become Pictis ipsis Pictiores.

Aryan Totems (?)

Generally speaking (and how delightfully characteristic of us all is
this!), I see totems in Greek sacred beasts, where Mr. Frazer sees the
corn-spirit embodied in a beast, and where Mr. Max Muller sees (in the
case of Indra, called the bull) 'words meaning simply male, manly,
strong,' an 'animal simile.' {85a} Here, of course, Mr. Max Muller is
wholly in the right, when a Vedic poet calls Indra 'strong bull,' or the
like. Such poetic epithets do not afford the shadow of a presumption for
Vedic totemism, even as a survival. Mr. Frazer agrees with me and Mr.
Max Muller in this certainty. I myself say, 'If in the shape of Indra
there be traces of fur and feather, they are not very numerous nor very
distinct, but we give them for what they may be worth.' I then give
them. {85b} To prove that I do not force the evidence, I take the Vedic
text. {85c} 'His mother, a cow, bore Indra, an unlicked calf.' I then
give Sayana's explanation. Indra entered into the body of Dakshina, and
was reborn of her. She also bore a cow. But this legend, I say, 'has
rather the air of being an invention, apres coup, to account for the
Vedic text of calf Indra, born from a cow, than of being a genuine
ancient myth