278 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [eth.ann. 18 



groove encircles the bottom of the box, which also has a circular groove 

 on the center. The neatly fitted cover is a thin piece of wood, with an 

 incised circle about the middle and a projecting thumb-piece which fits 

 upon beveled shoulders on the rim at one side. 



A round wooden box from the lower Yukon (figure 6, plate Lxxxvii) 

 is a little less than 5 inches in height and 2 inches in diameter. It has 

 a deep incision around the base, with a flaring, rim-like bottom. The 

 cover is fitted, like a stopper, into the top, and is incised to form a flar- 

 ing rim; it has a knob on the top. 



Another round box from the Yukon (figure 10, plate lxxxyii) has the 

 middle part formed by a narrow band of bone bent and fastened with 

 bone rivets and pegs. The excavated top and bottom are made of 

 wood in the form of truncated cones with slightly projecting rims; 

 they fit stopper-like into the bone circle. On the bone part are etched 

 circles and dots with a continuous zigzag border. On the top of the 

 box a round section of walrus tooth is inlaid in the center, and five 

 smaller pieces are set at regular intervals around the beveled edge. On 

 both the upper and the lower edge of the border are inserted small tufts 

 of seal hair fastened with pegs. 



QUID BOXES 



Figure 16, plate Lxxxvi, represents a small quid box, obtained on 

 Nunivak island by Dr W. H. Dall. It is shaped in the form of a 

 murre's head, the lower mandible forming a thumb piece for raising the 

 lid. The cover is formed by the jaw and throat; the eyes are outlined 

 by incised circles; the nostrils consist of a hole pierced through the 

 mandible in front of the eyes, in which is a sinew cord for attaching 

 the box to the belt or for hanging it around the neck of the owner. 



A quid box from Chalitmut (figure 8, plate lxxxvi) is flattened 

 above and below, and is oval in outline, with one end truncated. It is 

 cut from a single piece, with the exception of the cover, which fits into 

 the top flush with its edges, on which a rawhide loop serves as a handle. 

 Around the sides, near the upper edge, is a deep groove, in which nine 

 ivory pegs are set at regular intervals. Six ivory pegs are inserted 

 in the top and seven on the bottom along an incised line following the 

 border. In the truncated end are five others, one at each corner and 

 one in the middle. 



A specimen from Kushunuk (figure 14, plate lxxxvi) is an oval 

 box large enough to hold only one or two quids of tobacco. The top 

 is rather more flattened than that of the i)receding box, and has a 

 stopper-like cover. Each end is carved to represent the features of 

 some animal, incised lines marking the mouth, nostrils, and eyebrows. 

 On its surface are several inlaid white beads, and similar beads repre 

 sent the eyes and nostrils. 



A quid box from Askinuk (figure 17, plate lxxxvi) represents a 

 walrus, with projecting tusks, lying on its back. On its abdominal sur- 



