103 -^rt. VU.— A. Miitsumura : 



and inlaid with sea-shells ; while men, who had their left ears 

 bored, adorned it with jewels.^ It is not certain whether this 

 may still be met with in Palau ; but it may be said that on the 

 whole among the natives of the West Caroline group the custom 

 of adorning the ears is not so prevalent. 



2. Nose Ornaments. — We learn from Captain Wilson that 

 about the time of his visit to Palau the islanders, both men and 

 women, had the nasal septum pierced. " The cartilage between 

 the nostrils was also bored, in both sexes, through which they 

 frequently pu!i a little sprig or blossom of some plant or shrub 

 that accidentally caught their fancy. Perhaps it is owing to the 

 desire of having the scent of flowers, without the inconvenience of 

 holding them." 2 Miklncho-Maclay also mentions the natives of 

 Palau having their noses pierced.^ We had "no opportunity to 

 ascertain whether this custom still survives in the islands ; but 

 supposing the practice has the object indicated '-in the above 

 quotation, it may rather be regarded a matter of the sense of 

 odour, though it undoubtedly serves the purpose of ornamentation 

 as well. 



In Yap, the septum of the nose is bored, in both sexes, by 

 means of needles from orange trees. But hero the material in- 

 serted is a short piece of the leafstalk of the coconut tree, which is 

 not at all fragrant. In answer to our inquiries as to the object of 

 the practice, the natives declare that, unless they have their noses 

 pierced, they cannot enter paradise when they die. The connec- 

 tion between the piercing of the nose and the ascension of the 

 soul seems to defy any attempt at explanation ; nevertheless the 



1 G. Keate, " The Pelew Islands," pp. 313, 319 ; PI. lU. 



2 G. Keate, ibid., p. 319 and footnote. 



3 N. von Miklucho-Maday, " Anthr. Notizen, gesammelt auf einer Keise in AVest-Mikronesien 

 und Nord-Melanesien in Jahre 1876," Verb. d. Berlin. Gesell, f. Anthr., 1878, p. 107. 



