The Wild Tribes of India. By H. B. Rowney. (De
la Rue and Co.)—For some time past, a wholesome change has come over the spirit in which the Anglo-Indian as well as the insular Briton have regarded the subject populations of British India. The insulting and inaccurate epithet "nigger" is rarely employed by even the greenest of griffins, though it still lingers in the vigorous vocabulary of the older generation of officials. Mr. Rowney's compilation is a Pleasing proof of the recent advance towards a just conception of the duty of the English Government towards the native races. He gives us in this volume an account of those Indian tribes which ethnologists have usually included among Non-Aryan communities, a division not followed by Mr. Rowney, who prefers the vaguer classification of Aboriginal and Immigrant. To what extent the Non-Aryan peoples may be justly described "as aboriginal," in the full import of the word, we are not careful to decide, as it is a question not strictly germane to the Present book, which is of an essentially popular character. To many worthy people it will come as a revelation to hoar that, under British rule, there are communities who still perform human sacrifices, and to whom polygamy is "good form." Very wisely, Mr. Rowney has not restricted himself to matters of ethnology alone, and has given much interesting informa- tion on the habits, customs, and beliefs of the Daisyos. We would auggest that the book would be improved by placing the "General Remarks " first, instead of last, and by giving a brief summary of the undisputed results of ethnology, palmography, and anthropology, which, though these words sound formidable, would not be difficult to accomplish. A good map, which would be better if the districts were coloured Recording to races, accompanies Mr. Rowney's work, which we commend to all people interested in India, and to that larger class interested in humanity.
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