xo. 1667. VULLECTIOX OF ROtiARlES—CAt^AXOWlCZ. 345 



in form of the toe of a bear (the sacred animal of the Ainus), one of 

 a globe, and the third of a tube or cylinder, with one of the latter 

 serving as a tassel stopper {fusa-dome) . Length, 25 inches. Japan. 

 (Plate 25, fig. 2. Cat. No. 5520, U.S.N.M.) Lent by Miss Eliza R. 

 Scidmore. 



^8. Japmiese rosainj. — Made of flattened mahogany beads peculiar 

 to the Jodo sect, AA'hich was founded by Honen Shonin at the end of 

 the twelfth century A. D. Its rosary consists of two strings of beads 

 reeved one within the other. One usuallj'' has 40 flat beads with one 

 parent bead ; the other 27 of the same size as the 40, alternating with 

 28 smaller ones, and likewise one parent bead, thus making a total 

 of 95 beads, exclusive of- the tAvo large parent beads. On the second 

 larger string is a metal ring, sufficiently large to allow the string 

 to pass freely through it. Attached to this ring are two pendant 

 strings, on one of which are ten small round beads, on the other 

 six, both terminating with dewdrop beads. On the smaller string 

 of 40 beads the single prayers or formulas are recited, while the larger 

 string of 55 and the two pendant strings with their 16 beads are used 

 as two sets of counters in the following way : The string with 40 

 beads is placed, with the parent bead uppermost, over the first joint 

 of the forefinger, Avhile the other string with 55 beads is held between 

 the second and third fingers of the same hand and used as a first set 

 of counters. The upper string is then turned by the thumb, one bead 

 at a time for each prayer or formula uttered, beginning with the 

 bead next to the parent bead, until it comes round to its starting 

 point, when one bead of the lower string, starting likewise from 

 the parent bead, is slipped through between the fingers, one bead 

 for every revolution of the upper string, until the whole has been ex- 

 hausted, when recourse is had to one of the small pendant beads to 

 register the fact. The whole process has then to be gone over again, 

 so that by the time the Avhole of the 16 beads has been used 35,200 

 prayers will have been recited. 



The invention of this double rosary is ascribed to Awanosuke, one 

 of the personal attendants of the founder of the Jodo sect, its ob- 

 ject being that it should be manipulated only with the left hand, 

 thereby leaving the right hand free to minister to the needs of his 

 master, thus combining praying and working at one and the same 

 time. In the present example the upper string has 36 and the lower 

 30 beads, all of the same size. Length, 28 inches. Japan. (Plate 26, 

 fig. 1. Cat. No. 5527, U.S.N.M.) Lent by Miss Eliza E. Scidmore. 



Jfi. Japanese rosary. — Consisting of 18 beads made of walnut 

 shells cut in the shape of skulls. Upon the parent bead are carved 

 two groups of nine figures each, representing the 18 disciples 

 {rohans). The tassel stopper is of mother-of-pearl. The two cords 

 which extend from the parent bead are tied with three peculiar knots. 



