Travancore shares with Malabar the Marumak katayam law of descent, and its many peculiar customs, social and religious. Among the Nam buri Brahmans the eldest son alone marries and inherits ; the other children have no claim to the family estate or a share of its produce. Their girls remain unmarried to any age, and even die unmarried. Nair girls are all married formally when children ; but when they grow up they may choose men either of their own or the Brahman caste, and live with them, and the titular husband has no claim. The succession among the Nairs, as in Malabar, follows the line of sisters, and children by the sisters. A man without a sister is without a legal heir, and must adopt a sister to perpetuate the family. The succession to the throne of Travancore is governed by the same law, though the maharaja claims to be a Kshatriya. The children of a Nair are therefore heirs to their maternal uncle, performing the religious rites at his decease, and succeeding to his estate. The
Namburi and Nair are very cleanly, and bathe several times daily. The Brahmans burn their dead, but the N'airs bury or burn their dead, accord ing to the custom and means of each family. The burning or burial in all cases takes place in sonie corner of their own gardens. The tuft of hair, which among the people "on the: east coast is worn on the back of the head, is here worn on the crown, and allowed to hang forward. There is the utmost liberty of conscience, iind many immigrants. 'rho native Christian population consists of 63 per cent. Syrians, part Roman Catholics of the byrian rite, and the rest Nestor ians ; Roman Catholics of the Latin rite, 24 per eent. ; the remainder Protestants. The large Christian popttlation is distinctive feature of the country. The Syrian Christians date from the earliest centuries of our era ; the Roman CFitholies of the Latin rite are the result of the European miisions of the Jesuits and Carmelites during the last 300 years.—Inip. G'az.