Warfare, Hunting, and Fishing 383 



weapon is confined to the villages near to the coast. This, together 

 with the fact that the blowgun does not appear in the lore or cere- 

 monies, suggests that it of recent introduction (Plate XLVII). 



Locusts are considered excellent food, and when they are flying 

 in great numbers, are taken by means of small nets. These are at- 

 tached to poles, and are swung into the swarm. Sometimes nearly the 

 whole village will unite in such a hunt, the catch being stored in 

 large bottle-shaped baskets until needed. 



Bats and rats are not eaten, but the latter are trapped and killed 

 because of the grain they destroy and the injury they do to the houses 

 and their contents. The most common trap is made from a section of 

 bamboo in one side of which a spring is inserted. A line attached 

 to this leads to a slip noose which fits inside the tube. Bait is at- 

 tached to a trigger which, when disturbed, releases the spring and 

 closes the loop around the intruder. 



Fishing. — Mention has already been made of the capture of 

 fish by the children. Older people likewise devote some time to fish- 

 ing, but not to the extent of making it an occupation. Nearly every 

 family has a collection of traps and lines, and at times quite a num- 

 ber of fish and eels are secured. 



The common trap is shown in Fig. 13, No. 1. The entrance is 

 made of sharp bamboo splints, which converge toward a small hole 

 opening into the trap proper. The device is then placed in the water 

 in such a way that fish coming downstream will be diverted into the 

 opening. The current and the natural inclination of the fish to go into 

 a dark hiding-place causes them to force their way into the trap, 

 and once in they cannot emerge. The water escapes through the bam- 

 boo slits, but the fish can only be released by opening the small end 

 of the trap. 



Many of the women carry baskets attached to the belt at the 

 hip. The tops of these baskets have funnel-shaped openings, and are 

 immediately available for use as traps, if a good catch is in propsect 

 (Fig. 13, No. 2). These are usually employed for shrimps and min- 

 nows. Eels are caught in long, round traps of rattan and bamboo. 

 A frog is fastened in the far end of the tube, usually with a fish- 

 hook. This is attached to a rattan spring, which is connected with the 

 door of the trap. The eel enters and seizes the frog, but as it starts 

 to back out, it releases the bent rattan, and the door is pulled shut. 



Small hand nets, spread apart by means of sticks held in the hands, 

 are used by women in scooping up small fish. Ordinarily, it is scooped 

 away from the body, but if a fish takes refuge under a rock, the net 



