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



iug tlie face. The right eye is indicated by a crescentic hole, with the 

 corners downward; the left eye is marked by an inserted wooden plug 

 projecting about one-fourth of an inch. An almond-shape nostril is the 

 only one represented. The nose, in dim relief, is twisted toward the 

 right; the mouth is large and rounded on the right corner, thence 

 extending across and up on the left side, ending in a sharp angle near 

 the eye peg. In a groove around the border is a strip of reindeer skin 

 with upstanding hair. On each side and at the top are inserted three 

 / I quills tipped with downy plumes. Distorted countenances of this kind 

 J V are made to represent the supposed features of a number of supernatural 



beings known as tungJiat. 



Figure 1, plate cm, is a maskoid from Eazbinsky. It is a roughly 

 rounded block, 2f by 3 inches, having at its lower side a projection with 

 a hole for the insertion of one finger. Upon one side is carved a rep- 

 resentation of a bird's head; on the other a human countenance is 

 shown. A groove extends around tlie side of this block at the junction 

 of the two images, in which several feathers are set. 



The representation of the entire head of any bird or animal on finger 

 masks is uncommon, this instance being one of the few that came to my 

 notice. The human face is painted red, as are the eyes and mouth 

 of the bird; the bird's face on each side and the line on the top of head 

 are white. The sides of the head and the line extending forward along 

 the ridge of the nose or beak are of slate color. This is used as a 

 finger mask by women in ceremonial dances; the exact meaning is 

 unknown. 



From Eazbinsky, on the lower Yukon, is a very large and rather 

 roughly made finger mask (number 1620), representing on one side a 

 human face and deeply excavated on the other. It is the largest finger 

 mask that was seen; it measures 4f by 7 inches. 



Figure 2, plate civ, is a finger mask from Big lake. It is a square, 

 thin block, with a broad, rounded extension projecting from its lower 

 edge through which are pierced two finger holes. The rear is exca- 

 vated smoothly. The front has a distorted semihuman face, in slight 

 relief, surrounded by a circular groove; the right eye is almond-shape 

 and is inclined toward the nose. On the left side is a crescentic eye 

 with the corners turned down. The mouth is a flattened oval with the 

 right-hand corner drawn outward and up; the nose is twisted to the 

 left. From the border of the circular countenance to each corner of 

 the block is drawn a black line, and the crescentic eye is surrounded by 

 a black area; the remainder of the face is painted white. Around the 

 border are inserted six long tufts of reindeer liair and six tail-feathers 

 of the old squaw duck, with tips of plumes. It is used by women in 

 ceremonial dances; otherwise its significance is unknown. 



Figures 3 and 4, plate civ, show two finger masks from Konigunu- 

 gumut. Each is made from a discoidal, flattened block 2^ inches thick, 

 connected by a small neck with a broad wooden attachment, which is 



