26 



Art. VIL— A. Matsumura; 



the upper margin of the auricle eitlier from the front or from be- 

 hind so as to prevent it from swinging back and forth (PL I, figs. 

 2 and 3). Sometimes the auricle has small holes made near the 

 hehx, in the middle part or a little above (Pis. II and III). 



The objects worn as ornaments in tlie hole are most of them 

 rings made of coconut or shells. The former resemble in shape 

 the rings obtained by cutting a bamboo tube crosswise. Fii st, the 

 natives choose a long coconut, which is cut crosswise into rings. 

 The transverso sections of these rings are made smooth with a 

 knife and are polished respectively. After this, several dozens of 

 them arc strung on a stick. Then the outer surface is pohshed, 

 while the inside is cut oft^ with a sharp tool made of coral. 



Thus it costs the islanders a great deal of labour preparing 

 the rings for use, so that they are much prized. The rings, when 

 completed, are from 4 to 9 mm. wide and half as thick, while 

 the diameter is from 21 to 30 mm. They have each a parting, 

 so that they may easily be fixed on the ear. Sometimes simple 

 designs are carved on the outer surface. These rings, when worn 

 on the lobe, appear just like so many rings strung on a thread. 

 The natives must have a large hole in the lobe if they want to 

 wear many of them and take pride in their beauty. 



The rings made from shells are obtained by cutting cone-shells 

 crosswise. These shell rings are rather fiat. There is no uniformity 

 in their size, but the outer diameter is usually from 40 to 70 mm. 

 In using these shell rings, the islanders append them directly on 

 the coconut rings or by the intermediary of otlier ornaments, such 

 as threads of glass or shell beads. The holes in the upper region 

 of the auricle are ornamented with coconut rings, to which shell 

 rings are usually attached (PL II). 



The natives wear more than one kind of these ornaments at 



