MUZAFFARPUR. 79 Baghmati and the Adhwára (known as it approaches Darbhangah District by the name of Little Baghmatí), which flow southwards from Nepál, at some 6 or 7 miles' distance from Sitamarhi, on the west and east sides respectively. These two streams are invaluable for irrigation in years of drought, when scores of dans are thrown across them. Population.—The population of Muzaffarpur District, as at present constituted, after the division of Tirhút into the two separate Districts of Muzaffarpur and Darbhangah in 1875, amounted in 1872 to 2,245,408; while in 1881 the population was returned at 2,582,060, showing an increase of 336,652, or 14'9 per cent., in nine years. The results arrived at by the Census of 1881 may be briefly summarized as follows:-Area of District, 3003 square miles, with 16 towns and 5138 villages; number of houses, 380,810, of which 368,254 were occupied. Total population, 2,582,060, namely, males 1,265,731, and females 1,316,329. Proportion of males in total population, 49'1 per cent. ; average density of population, 8598 persons per square mile ; villages per square mile, 1972; persons per village, 501; houses per square mile, 126.8; inmates per house, 7. Classifed according to sex and age, the population in 1881 comprised—15 years and under, boys 525,063, and girls 499,880; total children, 1,024,943, or 39*7 per cent. of the population : 15 years and upwards, males 740,668, and females 816,449; total adults, 1,557,117, or 60°3 per cent. Religion. -Classified according to religion, Hindus number 2,265,380, or 8707 per cent of the population; Muhammadans, 316,308, or 12'2 per cent.; and Christians, 372. The higher classes of Hindus include - Brálmans, 96,206; Bábhans, military and cultivating Brahmans, 171,633; Rajputs, 167,594; Káyasths, 42,552 ; and Baniyás, 30,262. Among the low castes, the most numerically important are the following: -Goálás, 299,127, the most numerous caste in the District; Dosádhs, 179,827 ; Koeris, 141,551; Chamárs, 122,837; Kurmis, 115,117; Málás, 89,863 ; Kandus, 82,152; Dhanuks, 52,773 ; Nuniyás, 41,616; Lohárs, 38,897 ; Nápits, 38,642; Musahárs, 33,657; Kumbhárs, 33,408; Tatwas, 32,725; Sunris, 32,656; Kalwars, 29,039; Dhobis, 28,433 ; Kahárs, 25,573 ; Tántís, 23,921 ; Sonárs, 23,899; Binds, 21,552 ; Barhais, 16,291; Baruís, 12,350 ; Pásís, 11,690; Málís, 11,543 ; Madaks, 10,722 ; Gareris, 10,530; and Doms, 10,042. The aboriginal population numbers 19,496, but they are returned as Hindus in the religious classification of the Census. Caste-rejecting Hindus, 6324. The 36 most numerous Hindu castes contain in all 96.5 per cent. of the Hindu population of the District. Town and Rural Population. — Muzaffarpur District contains sixteen towns with a population exceeding five thousand, namely— MUZAFFARPUR, population (1881) 42,460; HAJIPUR, 25,078; LALGANJ,
