MORE PHEASANTS FOR WASHINGTON 



20 THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



THE FLATHEADS OF THE NORTH- scarce. As at curious incident of fate, I mention 

 WEST. the fact that I have a skull of one of these 



people that contains a wasp's nest where once 



It was customary forlhe Indians of the north- was located the base of his reasoning and intel- 

 west to bury tiieir dead with a coin placed in the ligence. The flattening of the skull was begun 

 mouth of the cor|)se. On Memaloose island, the in infancy by tying the subject Co a board and 

 old burial place of the Flat-heads in the CoUun- h.iving another flat piece of wood extend over 

 bia River, many coins have been found corroded the forehead (thus >) and gradually depress- 

 fast to the roof of the mouth of skulls. They ing it until the skull assumes the desired flat- 

 comprise many varieties of foreign copper and ness. This was considered an ideal ol beauty 

 silver coins, tokens, medals, etc., brought to the by these aborigines. 



region by early faclers whoss vessels penetrated Ed A. .ScHLOTH. 



the Columbia. English farthings of the l8th. Portland, Oregon, 

 century have been found, but most of the coins 

 are early Brazilian coppers and Spanish- Amer- 

 ican silver dollars. I have in my possession two 

 American half dollars dated respectively 1858 

 and 1876, which were found, with a Chinese 

 brass "cash," in the roof of the mouth of a skull. 

 They were orrodetl togetlier in a lump, but the 

 coins were in good condition, the half dollars be- 

 ing only slightly oxydize. I. No interments have 

 been made at Memaloose for many years, and the 

 date on the halves shows that imrials were still 

 made there up to 1876. Tlie object of thiscurious 

 custom was to guard against the dead man's 

 poverty on his arrival in the liiilinn paradise. 

 Many of the coins had heen perforated, show- 

 ingthatthey had been u-^e I as ornaments before 

 death overtook theo.vner. Since the greit flood 

 a few years ago, when the island was complete- 

 ly submerged, it has utterly devastated and wash- 

 ed out many of the grw.-s. but in my articles 

 can still be found of interest to the student; that 

 is, ifhecxnehide tlie witchfulness of the Indian 

 guards across the river, and 1 person found there 



Mr. Frank Ailing of Tacoma, Wash., re- 

 ceived two coo])s of Oiienta! Pheasants from 

 China on the steamer Olympia which arrived at 

 Tacoma on Tuesday, Feb. l6th. This ship- 

 ment makes ninety two of these birds, including 

 in all seven varieties, that Mr. Ailing has im- 

 ported at his own ex|;ense. They will be turn- 

 ed loose in a few weeks on Fox Island near the 

 city. They are the finest b.rds he has ever 

 received and are of a slightly different variety 

 from the others. They are larger and their 

 plumage is n>ore brilliant. It is Mr. AUing's 

 purpose to slock Wash.ngion forests with this 

 prince of pheasants if he can su,-ceed in getting 

 thf Legislature to grmt a five yen's closed 

 .season during which t me the shooting of the 

 birds shall be prohibiteil under a heavy penalty 

 for a violation of the 1 iw. 



.MKRfDEN S. HiLI.. 



Tacoma, Wash , ¥eU. 19th. '97. 



by the wary sentinels over the decaying rem- Last January, Dr. Hibhard of Portland shot 



nants of their forefather?, the FLiihead.s, would a female Western Dack H iwk in Mullnomdv 



find himself in a dangeious |)redicament. The Co., Oregon. 



Flalheads are now extinc', the list survivor of — -- • — 4.^»^^» 



the curious race with the receding forehead The latter part of February a male surf duck 



having died some ye on ;ig > at a great age. The ( Oideniia f'i-rs/)uii/iU<j) was shot near Gci vais, 



custom of flattening the skull has become olvso- Oregon; mort than fifty miles inland. 



lete with the present generation. 'l"he skulls - -• — *'^^* — • 



are it) great demand by colleges and medical An effort is being nnle by the Multnomah 



universities, and will at no very late date com- Rod and Gun Club to import and introduce to 



mand a gnoil price. They aie getting very the state, (JoMen and Si'ver Pheasants. 



