ML-RDOTH.I MESH STICKS. 315 



The mesh stick (ku brln) belonging to the large netting needle, No. 

 50581 [102J, may be taken as the type of this implement. It is a piece 

 of the hard outside tissue of a reindeer antler. The three notches on 

 the lower edge of the haft are for the fingers. The incised line along one 

 face of the blade is probably a mark to which the twine is to be drawn 

 in making a mesh. The blade is just the proper length, 7J inches, for 

 the large mesh of the seal net. The remaining four mesh sticks are all 

 small, and intended for making fish nets. Three are of reindeer antler 

 and the fourth of hard bone, with a wooden haft. 



Fig. 320a (No. 89436 [1284], from Utkiavwffi) is of antler, 1-2 inches 

 long, with a blade of 2-7 inches, protected from splitting by a stout 

 round peg of hard bone, driven through the handle so as to lie against 

 the heel of the blade. It terminates in a blunt point instead of a hook, 

 and has three finger notches in the haft. No. 811437 [942]. also from 

 Utkiavwln, is of the same material, 5-2 inches long, without a hook and 

 with a blade only 1 inch long. There are two finger notches in the haft. 

 The last of the antler mesh sticks (No. 89439 [983], from Utkiavwln, 

 Fig. 320&) is double ended, having a hook and a short blade at each end. 

 The blades are respectively 1*5 and 1-0 inches long, and the total length 

 is C-G inches. Fig. 320c (No. 89435 [1019], also from Utkiavwln) has a 

 blade, with a small hook, of white compact bone, and what would be 

 the handle lashed to one side of a haft of soft wood, which is shouldered 

 to receive it. The haft is 4-3 iuches long, and the two parts are held 

 together by two lashings of fine sinew, kept from slipping by notches. 

 The total length is 7-3 inches, that of the blade 2-7. Netting needles 

 and mesh sticks of essentially the same type as those just described, but 

 varying in material and dimensions, are in general use from the Ander 

 son Kiver to Bristol Bay, as is shown by the Museum collections. 



Netting weights. We collected 16 little ivory implements, each, when 

 complete, consisting of the image of a fish about 3 to 4 inches long, 

 suspended by a string about 4 inches long to a little ivory spring hook. 

 We never happened to see these implements in use, but we were told 

 that they were used in netting to keep the meshes in proper shape. 

 They generally were made in pairs. The only way of using them that 

 I can think of is first to hook one into the bight of the first mesh made 

 in starting the net. This would make the successive meshes, as they 

 were netted, hang down out of the way. On starting the next row in 

 the opposite direction, the second weight hooked into the first mesh of 

 this row would draw the successive meshes down on the left-hand side 

 of the stick, while the other weight would keep the meshes of the first 

 row stretched so that one could be easily caught at a time. On begin 

 ning the third row the first weight would be transferred to the first 

 mesh of this, and so on. Fig. 321 is one of a pair of these nepitaura 

 (No. 50591! [207]) which has been selected as the type. It is a rather 

 rude figure of a salmon or trout 4 inches long, neatly carved out of walrus 

 ivorv. The string is of braided sinew and the hook of walrus ivorv. 



