Bailly-Maitre, a breeder of great knowledge, wrote to Girard that the Belgian carrier-pigeons are strange creatures in their manners. Conjugium between males and still more frequently between females often occurs at an early age, up to the second year. Among hens and ducks it has been occasionally observed by the author that the female assumed male sexual tendencies.
Following the example of their animals, savages are extensively addicted to homosexuality.
Homosexuality has been found among almost all the American Indian tribes. In some of these tribes the homosexual practices are a part of their religious ceremonies. For this purpose, a strong man is chosen who jugiter manibus stupratur for hours every day and is also forced to ride horseback in his free time, until in the course of time virilia are degenerated, and he becomes entirely effeminate. He is then dressed in female clothes and made to do feminine work among the women of the village. This androgynos is then used as homosexual pathicus at the annual religious ceremonies.
In Bali homosexuality is common among men and women. The method of gratification adopted among the latter is either digital or lingual, or else by bringing the parts together (tribadism proper).
In Zanzibar the negro women, in addition to tribadism and cunnilingus, sometimes use an ebony or ivory phallus to which not seldom a kind of glans is appended. Some have a longitudinal perforation through which warm water can be injected.
In New Zealand native women were found who practised Lesbianism. Male homosexuality is the custom of the country.
A like state of things was found among the Brazilian tribes.
Eram found homosexuality widely spread among the male population in the Orient. Tribadism is also most common among the young girls there.
Historically considered, homosexuality was frequently practised among the ancients. In Greece, during the period of its highest ethical as well as intellectual vigor, the homosexual tendencies were not only condoned, but even fostered as a virtue, especially among the higher classes of society.
Most of the disciples of the great Greek philosophers were given to homosexual practices. Homosexuality was also very common among the women of Greece. It was widely spread on the island of Lesbos, where the celebrated poetess Sappho is said to have first taught and glorified the practice of tribadism. “Aiunt turpitudinem quae per os agit fellationis opinor vel irrumationis, primum a Lesbiis autoribus fuisse profectam,” says Erasmus. From the prevalence upon the island of Lesbos, homosexuality among women is called Lesbianism, while sentimental homosexuality is called Sapphism.