50 



STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL 



CHAP. 



central hole sufficiently large to admit a small stick. One 

 has a form closely resembling the " key " of the maple 

 (Fig. 21 a), others are cylindrical, but slightly curved 

 (Fig. 21 d), some are like triangles joined by a narrow con- 

 necting bar at the centre of their opposite bases (Fig. 21b); 

 others, again, like the longitudinal section of a dice-box 

 (Fig. 22 a), with many more, only a few of which are here 

 figured. 



Sculptured objects are numerous, and some have con- 

 siderable artistic merit. Among the modern Indians the 

 Sioux carve animal and human figures on pipes of cat- 

 linite or red pipe stone, some of which are well executed 

 and of fanciful design. The Haida Indians, of Queen 

 Charlotte Island, are celebrated for their skilful carving 



Fig. 22 



in wood and slate, the latter being very elaborate, highly 

 polished, and having the appearance of black marble. 

 These are grotesquely idealised into more or less sym- 

 metrical designs, and bear a considerable resemblance to 

 some of the Mexican sculj^tures, while in language and 

 physiognomy these tribes differ from all the Indians of 

 the adjacent regions. It is, however, in the mounds that 

 the greatest variety of sculptures have been found, and 

 among them are some of a very remarkable character. 



The pipes from the mounds of Ohio and Illinois are 

 often carved into the form of human heads, some of which 

 have Indian characteristics, while others seem quite dis- 

 tinct. Animal forms are also abundant, and among them 

 are seen the dog, bear, otter, prairie-dog, beaver, tortoise, 

 frog, serpent, hawk, heron, coot, duck, woodpecker, owl, &c. 



