The author argues that accounts of fertility variations across cultures increasingly have come to be formulated in terms of the relative value of children to their parents. This value has been examined in diverse spheres of life and in different social environments, principally by economists and psychologists who are interested in identifying and measuring specific benefits and costs entailed. The author believes that one of the factors hindering the development of a more flexible, cross-culturally appropriate methodology has been narrow conceptions of "the family". This article considers this problem with reference to one group in northwestern Nepal. The article studies the "Nyinba", their economic and social structure and their demographic regime. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2007-01-24)