MURDOCH.] 



BIRD DART. 



213 



sible that this pattern has been so long out of use that the natives have 

 forgotten what this old point was made for and supposed it to belong to 

 a seal spear. 



One of the eight heads of the ordinary pattern in the collection, N&quot;o. 

 56592 [284], a genuine one, old and dirty, is made of coarse-grained 

 whale s bone, an unusual material. No. 89373 [948], from 

 Utkiavwifi, an ivory head of a good typical shape, has 

 been figured (Fig. 198) to show a common style of orna 

 menting these heads. A narrow incised line, colored 

 with red ocher, runs along the base of the barbs on each 

 side for about three-fourths the length of the 

 blade. These heads are sometimes secured by 

 treenails as well as by a simple lashing, as is 

 shown by the holes through the tang of this 

 specimen. 



An improvement on this style of dart, which 

 appears to be less common, has two prongs at 

 the tip instead of a sharp head, so that the bird 

 may be caught if struck on the neck with the 

 point of the spear. No. 89905 [132(5], Fig. 199, 

 from Utkiavwin, is one of this pattern. The 

 two prongs are fastened on with a lashing of 

 fine sinew braid. The rest of the dart does 

 not differ from the one described except in the 

 method of attaching the three prongs at the 

 middle (Fig. 1996). These are fitted into slight 

 grooves in the wood and secured by two neat 

 lashings of narrow strips of whalebone, one 

 just above a little ridge at the lower end of 



Fid. 198. ,. .. , , 



Point for each prong and one through little holes in each 

 bird dart. p r oiig at the top of the oblique edge. Each 

 lashing consists of several turns with the end closely 

 wrapped around them. There is one specimen, No. 89242 

 [52C], in the collection which not only has not the prongs 

 at the middle, but lacks the enlargement of the shaft to via. iM.-mni dart 

 receive them. The head is undoubtedly old and gen 

 uine, but the shaft and fittings, though dirty, look suspiciously fresh. 

 I am inclined to believe that this head was mounted for sale by a man 

 who had no prongs ready made, and was in too much of a hurry to get 

 his price to stop to make them. Imperfect or unfinished objects were 

 frequently offered for sale. 



The bird darts used at Point Barrow, and by the western Eskimo 

 generally, are lighter and better finished than those used in the east. 

 The latter have a heavy shaft, which is four-sided in Baffin Land, and 

 the prongs are crooked and clumsy. 1 



l See Crantz s figure referred to above; also oue iu Parry s second voyage, PI. opposite p. 550, Fig. 

 19, and Rink, Tales., etc., PI. opposite p. 12. 



