THE MUSEUM. 



187 



baskets and the symmetrical pottery 

 vessels arej. here' and there. Outside 

 of the circle of huts'sits an old man, 

 famous in his tribe as a maker of ar- 

 row heads. As we watch him he 

 takes a flake of flint from the basket 

 at his side and skillfully chips the 

 piece with the aid of a bone or horn 

 implement into a keen and perfect 

 arrowhead. 



Now the whole camp comes noisily 

 trooping back bearing the game, fol- 

 lowed by the tired hunters, who after 

 laying aside their bows, arrows and 

 other weapons, stretch themselves up- 

 on the ground. 



Soon all is activity and bustle 

 among the women, with much ado 

 they skin and dress the deer with their 

 sharp flint knives and skinners. 



We study the people who are before 

 us. Tall and erect with high cheek- 

 bones — the dull red skin — the dark, 

 flashing eyes and the long straight 

 black hair are characteristic of their 

 race. Their clothing is wholly made 

 from skins. The hunters wear breech 

 clouts, leggins and moccosins; while 

 the squaws an upper garment or tunic, 

 met at the waist by a petticoat reach- 

 ing to the knees; below, the leggins 

 and well fitting moccosins — the glory 

 of the Mohawk belle. 



The shadows lengthen. The flames 

 from the fire dart up and light the 

 faces of those nearest it. The day is 

 fast waning. Soon the sombre forest 

 grows in deepest shadows. You see 

 the squaws prepare and cook the sim- 

 ple meal, which is quickly eaten. The 

 men sit around and silently smoke 

 their long pipes. The darkness of the 

 night gradually closes over them and 

 the stars come out. The fire blazes 

 merrily away and the dancing flames 



throw out a pleasant glow and warmth. 

 Some wrapped in their blankets 

 the dwellers prepare for sleep. The 

 camp is quiet. The fire flickers and 

 grows low. It is midnight, the hour 

 ■of dreams — and dreams was the re- 

 ligion of the Mohawks. 



Rob't. M. H.\rtley. 

 Amsterdam, N. Y. , Apr. i, 1896. 



Instructions for Collecting. Pre- 

 paring and Shipping Fresh 

 Water Shells 



Having lately received from one of 



our subscribers in Western New York 



a circular that contains some useful 



hints on above subject, we print it in 



part: 



WHERE TO LOOK FOR THEM. 



' 'They abound in almost every branch, 

 stream, river, pond and lake. Each 

 kind prefers certain surroundings — 

 some drill holes in the hard clay banks 

 or bottoms, others burrow in the mud- 

 dy or sandy bottom with the tips of 

 their shells just above the bottom. 

 Sometimes they will be found lying on 

 the surface of the bottom and general- 

 ly in shallow water, at the seasons 

 when the waters are low, they can be 

 readily picked up. When it is desired 

 to obtain the kinds that live in deeper 

 waters a good dredge may be made of 

 a common iron garden rake, by at- 

 taching a bag of wire mosquito netting 

 on behind the head of the rake. Cer- 

 tain kinds will be found near enough 

 to the mouths of rivers to be in salt or 

 brackish water like the horned clam. 

 (Unio Spinosa Lea.] which has been 

 taken in the Altamaha River as far 

 down as Darien, Ga." 



WHAT TO LOOK FOR. 



"There is something like 800 differ- 

 ent kinds of fresh water mussels now 



