NELSON] BELTS AND BELT BUTTONS 61 



with open mouths aud joined at the necks. A hole passes laterally- 

 through the bases of the necks for the cord; the heads are divided by 

 a deep, broad incision, separating them from each other at their bases. 



Another fastener from Cape Nome (figure 17) is a fine piece of com- 

 posite carving. Held in one position it represents the head of a white 

 bear; turned with the other surface upward it represents a seal, the ears 

 of the bear serving in that case for the fore-flippers of the latter animal, 

 while a ridge along both sides of the posterior portion of the seal's 

 body marks the position of its hind flippers and serves to outline the 

 lower jaws of the bear. This object can also be used as a cord handle. 



Plate XXVII, 13, from Point Hope, is an excellent representation of 

 the skull of a walrus an inch and a half in length. Figure 21 of the 

 same plate represents a fastener from Askinuk, in the form of a seven- 

 fingered human hand. 



Another style of button or belt fastener is made from a rounded, 

 oval, or quadrangular flattened piece of ivory or bone, pierced through 

 the center with a single hole for the accommodation of the belt cord. 



The following fasteners are also illustrated in plate xxvii: 



Figure 19, from the lower Yukon, 

 is a thiu, square piece of ivory, 

 pierced in the center by a hole for 

 the cord; its border is surrounded 

 by a series of etched lines, forming 

 a wave pattern; extending toward 

 the center from each corner are 

 etched the tridentate marks repre- 

 senting the raven totem. ^^^ i,_j^.„^y ^^,^ ,^^^^^^ 



Figure 20 is from Cape Vancou- 

 ver. It has a circular face, with four projecting knobs at the corners, 

 and etched upon the front are seven concentric circles; the knobs at 

 the corners are pierced and the holes are plugged with wood; two 

 circular lines surround the holes. 



Figure 22, from Cape Prince of Wales, is a round, convex-face piece 

 of ivory, with the surface neatly carved in relief with a wave pattern 

 alternating with rings; a large ear-like projection on the back is 

 pierced for the cord. 



Figure 18, from Anogogmut, is an inch and a quarter long, rounded 

 above and square below, with a slightly oval front, on which, in low 

 relief, is a grotesque human face. The usual ear-like ring on the back 

 serves for attaching the cord. 



Figure 17, from Nunivak island, is an inch and three-eighths long 

 and an inch and a quarter wide. It is excavated at the back, and on 

 the front has a well-made representation of human features, with the 

 mouth and the eyes pierced, and with lines representing snow goggles 

 across the eyes; on the back is a strong ear for attaching the cord. 



Figure 24, from Cape Vancouver, represents the head of a salmon; 



