476 



OVERLAYING WITH COPPER— MASON. 



VOL. XVII. 



To compare with tlie overlaying of wood and "bone by vslieet copper, 

 discovered in the mounds and described by Putnam, the U. S. Katioual 

 Museum has received from Lieut. G. T. Emmons, U. S. Navy., two figures 

 of humming birds in wood, well carved and painted red. Illustrations of 

 these are given below. Each wing and the tail of each bird is overlaid 

 with a covering of sheet copper, pressed down to fit and turned under 

 at the margins so as to be held fast. The surfaces are adorned with 

 the conventional wing and eye signs of the Haidas. Especial attention 

 is called to the carving on the copper. The furrows and ridges are all 

 cut with steel tools. The effects are produced by first making a nar- 

 row, deep furrow and then scraping the metal away from one edge. 



Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. 



BIRDS OF WOOD, WITH WINGS AND TAIL OVERLAID WITH COPPER. 

 Mi^tal working by the American aborigines. 



The author does not remember whether any engraving appears on the 

 Ohio mound specimens. Such as the Haidas and the Tlingets now make 

 with jewelers' tools would have been above and beyond the ability of 

 the aboriginal metallurgists of the Mississippi valley. 



Figure 1 shows the first example of a bird (No. 165,077, U.S.N.M.) 

 neatly carved from wood. The work has been very cleverly done, and 

 the specimen gives evidence of having been used for a long time. The 

 tail and each Aving are separately overlaid with a sheet of copper, 

 closely fitting. The ornamentation upon the surfaces are the abbre- 

 viated symbols for eyes and wings. Figure 2 represents the under side 



