Liberia -^ 



or if preparing for certain dances or ceremonies ; but as a rule 

 the fighting men of those tribes prefer head-dresses and plumes 

 to skin decoration. 



As regards mutilations, the Kru men generally file a 

 gap between the two middle incisors. The De men extract 

 one or two of the middle incisors in the upper jaw. These 

 mutilations of the teeth are illustrated in some of my 

 photographs. I have not heard of any cases of the filing 



375. RAM's HORN SKT IN SILVER. 



A common ornament worn vnider the nrm by Mende and 

 Vai women, and adopted also by the Kru women 



of the incisors to sharp points such as is so characteristic 

 of the cannibals and some of the Pygmies of the Congo 

 Forest. 



As regards circumchiov^ it is practised of course by all the 

 Muhammadanised peoples (Mandingo, Vai, Gbandi, and Gora) 

 and perhaps by the Buzi anci some of the Goh peoples in the 

 north-east of Liberia ; but as a rule all the races of Kru stock 

 do not circumcise^ the Kru tribe especially holding that practice 



978 



