An Anthropogeographical Study of the Origin of the Eskimo Culture. 161 
undoubtedly of importance originally, but must now be regarded as the 
relic of an occupation which is of importance only for the small inland 
tribes on the Barren Grounds, and occasionally for a few other groups. 
I do not think that musk-ox hunting is now included as a regular 
factor in the annual economic cycle of any other group than, perhaps, 
the inhabitants of the Barren Grounds. February and March appear to 
be the best time for the winter musk-ox hunting!. The hunter's equip- 
ment consists of the lance, snow shoes, and the dog sledge; and, 
moreover, the dogs themselves to overtake and stop the animals. 
The Typical Arctic Summer-occupations. 
Reindeer hunting is a summer occupation, and an important link in 
the annual economic cycle of the Arctic groups. That it becomes of less 
importance among the Subarctic groups is due in Greenland, as already 
mentioned, to geographical conditions, while in south-western Alaska 
the case evidently is that the Eskimo have wedged themselves 
along the coasts into regions where the inland was occupied by In- 
dians. Reindeer hunting is pursued, partly as a more individual hunting 
with bow and arrow, and partly by the co-operation of several hunters. 
The chief methods are the hunting at the fords and the hunting within 
fences, which fences usually go down to a lake; in both cases the kayak 
(and the lance) is an indispensable expedient. Both the latter modes 
of hunting occur everywhere where reindeer hunting is of any impor- 
tance; they are known from Greenland to Western Alaska. 
Salmon fishing is a summer occupation which occurs everywhere 
where the Eskimo have not passed into a purely coastal life. The 
chief implement is the salmon spear, which is not specially an Eskimo 
implement; it is used in slightly differing forms among other tribes in 
North America and in North Asia. Moreover, a small bag-shaped net 
or a hand-net on a stick is employed; dams are also commonly con- 
structed. ) 
The Hunting Implements, which are considered here only because 
of the röle they play as regards the “methods of hunting,” are only 
mentioned, in the review of the summer and the winter occupations, in 
connection with the hunting methods in which they are employed. 
Means of Conveyance and Appurtenances. 
There is scarcely any feature which so distinctly shows that the 
Eskimo rank as a hunting people of high development as the fact that 
they use such highly developed means of conveyance at their huntings. 
The Dog Sledge is a decidedly Arctic winter contrivance. Its area 
of distribution extends from Holsteinsborg in Greenland to the mouth 
of the Kuskoquim River in Alaska. But it is only from Melville Bay 
1 STEFANSSON, I, pp. 506—507. 
LIN. 11 
