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rcase。 A doctor who had shot a babacoote was accused by the inhabitants of a Betsimisaraka village of having killed 〃one of their grandfathers in the forest；〃 and to appease their indignation he had to promise not to skin the animal in the village but in a solitary place where nobody could see him。 （Father Abinal； 〃Croyances fabuleuses des Malgaches〃； 〃Les Missions Catholiques〃； XII。 （1880）； page 526； G。H。 Smith； 〃Some Betsimisaraka superstitions〃； 〃The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine〃； No。 10 （Antananarivo； 1886）； page 239； H。W。 Little； 〃Madagascar； its History and People〃 （London； 1884）； pages 321 sq； A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃 （Paris； 1904）； pages 214 sqq。） Many of the Betsimisaraka believe that the curious nocturnal animal called the aye…aye （Cheiromys madagascariensis） 〃is the embodiment of their forefathers； and hence will not touch it； much less do it an injury。 It is said that when one is discovered dead in the forest； these people make a tomb for it and bury it with all the forms of a funeral。 They think that if they attempt to entrap it； they will surely die in consequence。〃 （G。A。 Shaw； 〃The Aye…aye〃； 〃Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine〃； Vol。 II。 （Antananarivo； 1896）； pages 201； 203 （Reprint of the Second four Numbers）。 Compare A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃； pages 223 sq。） Some Malagasy tribes believe themselves descended from crocodiles and accordingly they deem the formidable reptiles their brothers。 If one of these scaly brothers so far forgets the ties of kinship as to devour a man； the chief of the tribe； or in his absence an old man familiar with the tribal customs； repairs at the head of the people to the edge of the water； and summons the family of the culprit to deliver him up to the arm of justice。 A hook is then baited and cast into the river or lake。 Next day the guilty brother or one of his family is dragged ashore； formally tried； sentenced to death； and executed。 The claims of justice being thus satisfied； the dead animal is lamented and buried like a kinsman； a mound is raised over his grave and a stone marks the place of his head。 （Father Abinal； 〃Croyances fabuleuses des Malgaches〃； 〃Les Missions Catholiques〃； XII。 （1880）； page 527； A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃； pages 281 sq。）
Amongst the Tshi…speaking tribes of the Gold Coast in West Africa the Horse…mackerel family traces its descent from a real horse…mackerel whom an ancestor of theirs once took to wife。 She lived with him happily in human shape on shore till one day a second wife； whom the man had married； cruelly taunted her with being nothing but a fish。 That hurt her so much that bidding her husband farewell she returned to her old home in the sea； with her youngest child in her arms； and never came back again。 But ever since the Horse…mackerel people have refrained from eating horse…mackerels； because the lost wife and mother was a fish of that sort。 （A。B。 Ellis； 〃The Tshi…speaking Peoples of the Gold Coast of West Africa〃 （London； 1887）； pages 208…11。 A similar tale is told by another fish family who abstain from eating the fish （appei） from which they take their name （A。B。 Ellis op。 cit。 pages 211 sq。）。） Some of the Land Dyaks of Borneo tell a similar tale to explain a similar custom。 〃There is a fish which is taken in their rivers called a puttin； which they would on no account touch； under the idea that if they did they would be eating their relations。 The tradition respecting it is； that a solitary old man went out fishing and caught a puttin； which he dragged out of the water and laid down in his boat。 On turning round； he found it had changed into a very pretty little girl。 Conceiving the idea she would make； what he had long wished for； a charming wife for his son； he took her home and educated her until she was fit to be married。 She consented to be the son's wife cautioning her husband to use her well。 Some time after their marriage； however； being out of temper； he struck her； when she screamed； and rushed away into the water； but not without leaving behind her a beautiful daughter； who became afterwards the mother of the race。〃 （The Lord Bishop of Labuan； 〃On the Wild Tribes of the North…West Coast of Borneo〃； 〃Transactions of the Ethnological Society of London〃； New Series II。 （London； 1863）； pages 26 sq。 Such stories conform to a well…known type which may be called the Swan…Maiden type of story； or Beauty and the Beast； or Cupid and Psyche。 The occurrence of stories of this type among totemic peoples； such as the Tshi…speaking negroes of the Gold Coast； who tell them to explain their totemic taboos； suggests that all such tales may have originated in totemism。 I shall deal with this question elsewhere。）
Members of a clan in Mandailing； on the west coast of Sumatra； assert that they are descended from a tiger； and at the present day； when a tiger is shot； the women of the clan are bound to offer betel to the dead beast。 When members of this clan come upon the tracks of a tiger； they must； as a mark of homage； enclose them with three little sticks。 Further； it is believed that the tiger will not attack or lacerate his kinsmen； the members of the clan。 （H。 Ris； 〃De Onderafdeeling Klein Mandailing Oeloe en Pahantan en hare Bevolking met uitzondering van de Oeloes〃； 〃Bijdragen tot de Tall… Land… en Volkenkunde van Nederlansch…Indie； XLVI。 （1896）； page 473。） The Battas of Central Sumatra are divided into a number of clans which have for their totems white buffaloes； goats； wild turtle…doves； dogs； cats； apes； tigers； and so forth； and one of the explanations which they give of their totems is that these creatures were their ancestors； and that their own souls after death can transmigrate into the animals。 （J。B。 Neumann； 〃Het Pane en Bila…stroomgebied op het eiland Sumatra〃； 〃Tijdschrift van het Nederlandsch Aardrijkskundig Genootschap〃； Tweede Serie； III。 Afdeeling； Meer uitgebreide Artikelen； No。 2 （Amsterdam； 1886）； pages 311 sq。； id。 ib。 Tweede Serie； IV。 Afdeeling； Meer uitgebreide Artikelen； No。 1 （Amsterdam； 1887）； pages 8 sq。） In Amboyna and the neighbouring islands the inhabitants of some villages aver that they are descended from trees； such as the Capellenia moluccana； which had been fertilised by the Pandion Haliaetus。 Others claim to be sprung from pigs； octopuses； crocodiles； sharks； and eels。 People will not burn the wood of the trees from which they trace their descent； nor eat the flesh of the animals which they regard as their ancestors。 Sicknesses of all sorts are believed to result from disregarding these taboos。 （J。G。F。 Riedel； 〃De sluik… en kroesharige rassen tusschen Selebes en Papua〃 （The Hague； 1886）； pages 32； 61； G。W。W。C。 Baron van Hoevell； 〃Ambon en meer bepaaldelijk de Oeliasers〃 （Dordrecht； 1875）； page 152。） Similarly in Ceram persons who think they are descended from crocodiles； serpents； iguanas； and sharks will not eat the flesh of these animals。 （J。G。F。 Riedel op。 cit。 page 122。） Many other peoples of the Molucca Islands entertain similar beliefs and observe similar taboos。 （J。G。F。 Riedel 〃De sluik… en kroesharige rassen tusschen Selebes en Papua〃 （The Hague； 1886）； pages 253