DESIGNS OF FISHES, ETC. 



27 



Delineations of Fishes and Aquatic Mammals. Reference was made to the 

 peculiar artistic penchant of the men of the reindeer-period, which revealed itself 

 in the practice of engraving on horn and other substances the outlines of animals 

 which they hunted or obtained by other means, and which, it may be assumed, 

 were regarded with special interest on account of the advantages derived from 

 them. The fact that a number of these sketches represent fishes seems to indicate 

 their partiality for the spoils of the water, which, as we have seen, contributed 

 largely to their supplies of food. 



PIG. 31. Representations of fishes and a horse on a baton of reindeer-horn. La Madelaine. 



Fig. 31 represents a "baton" of reindeer-horn, one foot in length, upon 

 which two fishes and a horse are traced, the former being very badly executed, 

 insomuch that it would be impossible to indulge in any speculation as to the 

 genus to which they belong. On the side opposite to that shown by Fig. 31 

 other fish-like figures, four in number, are drawn. This specimen was found at 

 La Madelaine.* 



FIG. 32. Drawing of a fish on a piece of reindeer-horn. La Madelaine. 



Much better is the design of a fish on a rod of reindeer-horn, here given as 

 Fig. 32. It is thus described : "A cylindrical piece of reindeer-horn, on which 

 are carved two outlines of fishes, one on each side. In the figure here given, 

 the form of the head, the shape of the gills, an obscure indication of the back-fin, 

 and the proportions and general appearance permit us to refer this fish to one of 

 the freshwater kind, probably of the cyprinoid (carp) family. The fragment is 

 broken at both ends ; and we can scarcely form an opinion as to its original use, 

 and whether, indeed, it was an. ornament or not."f The piece was obtained at 

 La Madelaine. 



* Reliquiae Aquitanicas; Fig. 1, B Plates III and IV. Fig. 31 is a reduced copy. 



t Ibid. ; II, p. 13; representation of the engraved fish Fig. 1 on B Plate II. The tracing on the horn is less 

 distinct than in Fig. 32. 



