24 LAUFER, THE DECORATIVE ART OF THE AMUR TRIBES. 



These two cocks are resting on a simple geometrical figure, which is perhaps to 

 be regarded as a strong conventionalization of another cock. The pattern Fig. 2 

 becomes intelligible by comparing it with the preceding one. It represents a 

 stage of conventionalization much further advanced than is seen in the first one. 

 The body is merely indicated by a spiral, neck and head simply by the continua 

 tion of the scroll-line bent upward and slightly curved to the side, the tail being 

 in the form of an ornamental double fish-tail. The bifurcated arms projecting 

 on either side above the two cocks are meant for fishes, which are essentially 

 characterized by the form of the tail. 



The question as to how the motives hitherto discussed, especially the com 

 batant cocks, were derived from Chinese art, whether entirely or partially, cannot 

 as yet be satisfactorily answered. Notwithstanding this fact, some material may 

 be adduced from which to draw nearer to the solution of this problem. 



Some Chinese Prototypes. Fig. 3, Plate vin, a Chinese weaving-pattern of 

 the nineteenth century, is inserted here simply to illustrate the idea of the com 

 batant birds as employed in Chinese art. Here two pairs of such birds are 

 grouped around a floral device, so that the style of the head and the body of the 

 bird depends largely on that of the foiling, and thus shows certain deviations from 

 the forms seen in our Siberian patterns. 



Figs. 4 and 5 of the same plate are likewise weaving-designs, from the Konig- 

 liche Kunstgewerbe Museum in Berlin. Although the origin of these fabrics is 

 given in the catalogue as &quot; Orient, I7th-i8th centuries,&quot; yet without doubt they 

 are of Chinese creation, at least as regards the pattern. In the centre of Fig. 4 

 we see a conventionalized tree (a), at the top of which are two bird-heads (b) beak 

 to beak. Two heads of the same style are visible at the foot of the tree, but at a 

 short distance from each other. A perfect representation of the cock appears in 

 c : the comb (designated by three lines), the pinions, the tail-feathers, the feet 

 (indicated in a way similar to that of the comb), are all shown. Under the throat 

 is a rectangle, which seems to correspond to the circular object that the bird usu 

 ally holds in its beak in the Siberian designs. That all forms are square here which 

 are round there, is due solely to the technique of weaving. The cock with out 

 spread wings, its head stretched forward, is represented in the figures marked d ; 

 whereas &amp;lt;? reproduces the bird in a walking attitude, with head erect. Both these 

 cocks (d and e) are placed sideways, so that their heads nearly touch each other. 

 In the corresponding figures, f, one may recognize the cock in a standing or 

 squatting position, the two being combined in the picture ^ into one escutcheon- 

 like unit, the heads looking in opposite directions. The smaller design above (//) 

 shows an advanced stage of conventionalization of the same conception ; and in 

 i, still farther above, only the head and crest of the cock are distinguishable. The 

 combination of these three figures, g, h, and /, together with the lateral types b 

 and the additional ramifications (/) on either side, seem to indicate that the artist 

 may have intended to suggest, in the figure as a whole, a tree. On this pattern, 

 then, we meet with five different types of cock. The style of design shown in 



