1920] on String Figures 93 



A remarkable feature in the Oceanic examples is that a majority 

 of the figures begin in one way. In this the tips of the thumbs and 

 little-fingers of each hand are put together, and then from below 

 into the loop of string ; next the digits are separated, and the 

 hands drawn apart (this is called the First Position) ; and, lastly, 

 the palmar loop on each hand is picked up by the back of the index- 

 finger of the other hand : this is known as Opening A or B. The 

 fact that such a normal (and not very obvious) opening exists all 

 over the world suggests either that the game was played by the 

 ancestors of the existing races before they were widely dispersed, or 

 that in the long series of past generations there has been more 

 occasional intercourse between natives of distant localities than was 

 formerly suspected, and of course a single stray voyager, whether 

 travelling on his own initiative or driven from home by some 

 unhappy chance, might serve to carry with him the methods of 

 making such figures traditional among his own folk. Either view 

 implies a long history, perhaps extending over thousands of years. 



In Opening A the left palmar string is taken up before the palmar 

 string. If the right palmar string is taken up by the left-index 

 finger before the left palmar string is taken up by the right-index 

 finger it leads to Opening B. In most Oceanic figures it is 

 immaterial whether we begin with Opening A or Opening B. 



There is also another movement which is made in the construction 

 of many figures. This is when we have on a finger two loops, one 

 proximal and the other distal, and the proximal loop is pulled over 

 the distal loop, then over the tip of the finger, and then dropped on 

 the palmar side. This movement is not uncommon ; it was first 

 discovered among the Xavaho Indians : hence it is called Navahqing 

 the Loop. I describe the process as Movement T. 



And now having talked at large about the subject, I want to 

 spend the remaining ten minutes in showing you a few of the more 

 interesting and less common of these Oceanic figures. I had 

 originally intended to make some myself, and use lantern slides of 

 natives displaying others ; but' I can do better, for Mrs. Rishbeth, 

 who has accommpanied her father, Dr. Haddon, in one of his 

 adventurous expeditions, and herself is among the most skilful 

 exponents of the art of making these figures, has most kindly 

 consented to come to London to show us various examples, most of 

 which have never before been exhibited in public. At the beginning 

 of the Lecture I called your attention to the fact that quickiH 

 a desirable feature in the game, and it is not difficult when once you 

 know the moves. The designs I have made in the course of the 

 Lecture — all of them well-known — are easily made, and none took 

 fifteen seconds to complete, though of course were any used as a 

 basis of the story the construction would probably occupy more time. 

 Most of those which Mrs. Rishbeth will make are more involved, but 

 you will notice that in the majority, notwithstanding the many moves 



