irnixoLOGY. 33 



almost any time an impisli-lookiug head, covered with a thick mat of 

 tangled black hair, plentifully i^owdered mth reindeer-hair of various 

 lengths and colors, protruding from among the pile of skins. The whole 

 family crowd together on this platform, like so many pigs. The lainps 

 are kept buruinjj day and night, and the woman's place is directly in 

 front of them on the sleeping-platform. Here they sit cross-legged and 

 work. Back of the lamps and around them they pile up their meat. 

 This acciunulation of garbage is only cleaned out when it becomes neces- 

 sary to make loom for a fresh supply. This pile of putrifying tiesh soon 

 becomes extremely offensive both to sight and smell. Meat is sometimes 

 brought in the huts that is already s])oiled, even though the tem})era- 

 ture may be 50 degrees below zero. This often hai)pens with deer. We 

 think the cause may be that the body of the animal immediately freezes 

 on the outside and forms a coating of non-conducting ice, which pre- 

 vents the escape of gas, which instead penneates the tissues. If the 

 animal is disemboweled as soon as killed, it does not happen. Several 

 carcasses, still warm, are often piled one upon the other, and the animal 

 heat is probably sufficient to start decomposition before the mass freezes. 

 Around the lamps lie the bones they have i)icked the meat from, and 

 such other ]>arts as are discarded in time of jileuty. This rubbish is not 

 thrown out, but rooted among after a fresh supply, as it is nee<led. 



Nearly every igloo has a little addition on one side, with an opening 

 to it from the inside of the main hut. In this they keep their deer-skin 

 clothes when not in use, and also an extra blubber supply. Over the 

 lamp is liung a half-moon-shaped frame of whalebone, with seal-skin 

 thongs drawn tightly across. On this they put their foot-geai- to dry 

 dui'ing the night. 



When the snow begins to molt, and their igloos tumble, they have a 

 sad time for a few days. The skin-tent, or toopik, must now be brought 

 into requisition and do service alone. For the toopik they select a flat 

 rock, from which the snow has melted, and by means of two sets of 

 poles, those for the front end of the structure the shortest, and lashed 

 together at the top, like an Indian wigwam, with a ridge-pole between 

 them. Over this the skin cover is spread, and secured to the rock by 

 means of stones laid on the lower edge. All the aft. r i)ortioii of this 

 tent is made from seal skin, with the hair on, on the back generally a 

 large m a] o ragophilus (jrwn la ndicus. The forward part is made from what 

 they term mamma, which is prepared from the skins of the netsick in 

 the following manner : After the blubber has been removed in the usual 

 Bull. Nat. Mus. No. 15 3 



