14 Kas BIRKET-SMITH. 
rule the nocks are rather rudely made, but in one specimen brought 
to the Cape York District by one of the Baffin Land immigrants, 
they were carved in the shape of “allerliebst geschnitzte kleine Bären- 
kôpfe‘‘1. The stave may have both single and double curve. The 
length varies somewhat, being determined according to the height of 
the owner. It is reckoned as from the finger-points of the outstretched 
arm to past the middle of the chest, which in most cases will probably 
be equivalent to about 75—80 cm. 
This type differs from that just mentioned in having the backing 
held down to the back of the bow stave in several places, so as to 
prevent its slipping off when the bow is strung, which mishap, it would 
seem, may easily occur with bows of the primary type. In one of the 
bows in the National Museum, from King William’s Land (P 94, col- 
lected by the “Gjga”” Expedition), this improvement is attained, in the 
case of the one wing, by the simple method of applying several separate 
transverse lashings. Possibly, however, this may have been done by ı 
way of repairing the weapon afterwards, as in the other wing of the 
same, as also in all others of the same type of which I have any 
knowledge, this transverse lashing is not used. The end of the backing 
cord is simply passed round both stave and backing in up to six single 
half-knots, (double half-knots in the case of the Netjilik bow Lb 92, 
collected by the M’Crintock Expedition). 
A bow of this type, from the Cape York District, is to be found 
in the National Museum (L 4334; Fig. 1, b). It should be noted, that 
this specimen was never intended for use, but was made in 1909 by 
request, the bowyer, however, being an old Polar Eskimo, who had not 
only used bow and arrow himself for reindeer hunting, but had more- 
over never employed any other weapon?. The specimen is therefore 
correct in every detail, only, perhaps, a little too short. The stave is 
71 cm. long, and consists of three pieces of reindeer antler, cut off 
straight at the ends. The joint is supported on the back by two 
flat bone splints, and on the inner side by two heavier pieces of bone, 
with raised ends, to prevent the transverse lashings from slipping away. 
The string is plaited with two sealhide thongs, and has a loop at 
either side, fastened to the deeply cut nocks. The backing consists of 
a single cord, made from sealhide. It is fastened with a loop to one 
nock, and carried six times in all along the back, the sixth length 
making first five half-knots round the stave and the remainder of the 
backing, the last of these being just beyond the grip; it then runs 
straight to the nock, makes a further three half-knots and ends off 
‘with a half-knot and several windings at the grip. 
In the Geographical Laboratory of the University there are de- 
posited two bows of the same kind from the Cape York District, made 
1 BESSELS, р. 360. 
2 STEENSBY, Polar Esk., p. 357. 
