36 LAUFER, THE DECORATIVE ART OF THE AMUR TRIBES. 



a fish-body is clinging, with a head at each end. c is a variation of the type 

 seen in a. d is a cock without tail-feathers, c is allied to /;, but adorned with 

 leaf motives. Also f is a cock-formation composed of fishes. In g, //, and ? , 

 fishes and cocks are, as it were, like arabesques, amalgamated into one composite 

 whole, the separate parts of which arc hard to single out, since one always glides 

 into the other, j anil / show the principle of the cocks of Type B. In/ the 

 backs of the cocks, strange to say, are replaced by two conventionalized bipartite 

 fishes rampant. The acme of all these phenomena of cock and fish is reached, 

 however, in g. Here we observe in the middle a large realistic carp, on the tail 

 of which is drawn again a fish. At three points this carp is ornamented with 

 bird-beaks and the usual ovals ; so that this design, when viewed from three 

 different sides, has the appearance of as many cocks. 



F g s - I 3~ l 7 are likewise large compositions based on the principle of the 

 combination of conventionalized, mostly bipartite, fishes with spiral and cock 

 ornaments. In these conglomerations are shown the endless variation of which 

 this ornament is capable, and the great effectiveness of the forms in the compo 

 sition of larger structures. In Fig. 16, moreover, a lavish use is made of leaf and 

 floral ornaments. In special beauty of forms the large realistic cock on the left 

 side of Fig. 17 excels. 



THE DRAGON. The Chinese dragon (lung; Gold, mudur) holds a promi 

 nent place in the mythology of the Gold, and is believed by both these peoples to 



