LAUFER, THE DECORATIVE ART OF THE AMUR TRIBES. 



39 



side are connected by a brace. Six dentiform projections stand out from the 

 back. The body terminates in a fish-tail, the shorter arm of which signifies 

 a foot with four sharp claws, the other being supplied with a bushy tail resem- 



bling cock-feathers. In the centre of the middle field is a rosette, the elements of 

 which are made up of conventional designs of fishes. Above follow two cock- 

 fishes, each in a spiral. Connected with the central rosette by a narrow band is 

 an elliptical figure with an ornamental ring inside, between which and the 

 periphery of the ellipse are delineated triskeles and conventionalized cocks. 

 Beyond this figure are two opposite dragon-heads. 



Fig. 1 8 is also a deco 

 ration on the cover of a 

 lacquered tobacco-box, but 

 here the main field is taken 

 up by eight large finely- 

 drawn dragons. This type 

 approaches in its form 

 very nearly that of the 

 cock-ornament. On each 

 side of the cover the two 

 dragons above and below 

 are placed in the form of a F G - l8 ( ) - Covcr of a Tobacco-box. Tribe, GM. Extreme length, 5 , cm . 



double spiral, tails contiguous, faces turned so that they look at each other. At the 

 end of both the upper and the lower jaw is a triskeles, apparently signifying cocks, 



