A g . Art. YII. — A Ma', sum lira : 



of food for the natives. When not yet ripe, the albumen is very 

 soft and pure white in colour. It may be eaten raw, but more 

 frequently it is boiled mixed with rice and other material. To 

 separate the albumen from tîie shell, the cocon nt is cut longwise 



Fig. 17. — Coconut Scraper, hiliüt. 



in four pieces, and the soft substance is scraped, as is shown in 

 PL XYII, fig. 2. Tlie scraper, some 85 cm. long and similar in 

 shape throughout the islands, has metal teeth furnished on the 

 head. Girls or women lay this tool on a stock and apply the 

 pieces of coconut to the teetli while holding the instrument fast 

 by the weight of their liody. The white substance falls, like saw- 

 dust, into a wooden bowl placed beneath as a receptacle. It 

 appears, however, that this method of scraping is a recent inven- 

 tion, since the metal teeth must be imported (Fig. 17). According 

 to Fay-Cooper Cole,i a similar device is seen among the Bagabo 

 tribe in D;ivao District, Mindanao. But here the tool has two legs, 

 HO that the stock is perhaps unnecessary. In the Hermit Islands 

 of the Lup Archipelago nlso, a similar scraper is employed.- 



The materials are boiled in an oil can or even in an imported 

 iron pan. But it may be asked what were the utensils employed 

 before the introduction of the vessels above mentioned. In the 



1 Fay-Cooper Cole. -The Wild Tribes of Davai Distiict, Mindanao," p. 78; fig 25. 



2 A. Krämer, " Forschungsreise S. M. S. Planet 1906-07, V. Anthropologie imd Ethnographie," 

 BerUn, l!)Oy. p. 82. 



