And does it apply to the male also?
Or is there a different term for him ?" He passed this over rather hurriedly, saying that the same term would apply, but was seldom used.
"No ?" she said.

"But one cannot mate without the other surely.

Is not each then--virgin--before mating?
And, tell me, have you any forms of life in which there is birth from a father only ?" "I know of none," he answered, and I inquired seriously.
"You ask us to believe that for two thousand years there have been only women here, and only girl babies born ?" "Exactly," answered Somel, nodding gravely.

"Of course we know that among other animals it is not so, that there are fathers as well as mothers; and we see that you are fathers, that you come from a people who are of both kinds.

We have been waiting, you see, for you to be able to speak freely with us, and teach us about your country and the rest of the world.