th of woman I do not know, but as with most of these people the
women are regarded as chattels of the males, the case is doubtless very
different.

Now as to the origin of these beliefs and customs, their causes naturally
fall into two categories, the physical and the metaphysical. Modern
biological science regards the whole question from the physical side
almost exclusively, and facts and experiences that belong largely or
exclusively to the metaphysical realm are warped out of their natural
order to fit the theory of interpretation.

Every savage observes not only that he casts a shadow, but that shadows
attend all inanimate objects that stand so as to intercept the light, and
as shadows move as do objects that gives rise to the idea of animation.
Hence we have genii, dryads, naiads, ghosts, angels, demons, etc. To
fortify this belief we have echoes, which give voice to animate and
inanimate objects. Movement and voice are the universal accompaniment of
animation.

The part played by the breath, and its sudden cessation at death, are
believed to contribute to the belief in invisible existences.

The beating of the heart, and its cessation at death, adds another link to
the chain of phenomena, going to show that _something_ leaves the body at
death. This may be the origin of the sacrifice of the hearts of captives
to the gods, or to a deceased warrior or chief as with the ancient
Mexicans, with the belief that the heart is the seat of the soul, and the
soul of the captive or victim shall attend the departed chief in the other
world.

But the most important place should doubtless be assigned to dreams as
giving rise to belief in the world of spirits. Dreams are universal
amongst men, and animals like the dog also dream.

Most if not all primitive people are also aware that fasting promotes
dreaming, and while many of them practice long fasting, partly, no doubt,
to increase fortitude and bodily endurance, in very many cases it is known
to be practiced for the purpose of promoting dreams. Beyond this voluntary
fasting there is the enforced fast due to famine or the scarcity of food.

It will be noticed in many of the cases cited how much stress is laid on
the phenomena of dreams and how literally they are interpreted.

Among civilized races and those wise in philosophy dreams play a very
important part, and are classified as monitorial, prophetic, etc., etc.
The habit in modern times of regarding dreams as altoge