INDIAN CHARMS 493 



In some the front of the animal's face is indicated, the 

 lobes of the leaf resembling the ears, then we have the spots 

 and suffusions, the sheen and the form. A Xanthosma has a 

 malformed leaf at the back supposed to indicate the musk 

 gland of the peccary for which it is the beena. Then we have 

 Acontias helleborifolius; the digitate leaves indicating the 

 barbels of the fish for which it is used. Cipura paludosa is 

 either a medicine or a beena; its red bulb is sufficiently like 

 a swollen and inflamed ear-lobe to account for its being an 

 ear-ache remedy. 



Many of our frogs are prettily marked and some of 

 them are beenas. One of the most handsome is Phyllome- 

 dusa, a beena for the tapir, but I can find no signature in 

 this or any other of the frogs. The tiny species that is swal- 

 lowed alive is a general beena and recalls the fact that a live 

 frog, was once administered in Europe for what was called 

 "frog in the throat." Some insect larva that stings may per- 

 haps be one of those moths which produce much irritation 

 if accidentally touched, but I have never seen a specimen. 

 This may be an ordeal rather than a beena, but there is no 

 line of demarcation, for wasps, ants and scorpions are beenas 

 as well as tests of courage and endurance. A man or even 

 a boy would be ashamed to cry out when stung. 



It may be presumed that there is a beena for every game 

 animal, whether beast, bird or fish. The charm may perhaps 

 generally be used to attract, but there is also an idea that 

 beenas repel noxious creatures. If the snake beena is used 

 it certainly cannot be supposed to attract a labaria, but ra- 

 ther to protect from its bite. I have been shown a jaguar 

 beena, but it is rather doubtful. My lists include specimens 

 from Mr. Penard, Surinam (Carib) ; Dr. Roth (Arawak 

 and Carib) ; and from the Upper Demerara (Arawak) as 

 well as some from Creoles. In a few cases the same beena is 

 reported as used for different animals in two or three locali- 

 ties, but there is a general consensus in many cases. We 

 should not expect absolute uniformity in different tribes. 



