5G THl', POINT BARKOW ESKIMO. 



very abxindant smiic years, and Uwy ii'Cdjiiii/A- a tiny .shrewmouse (Sorex 

 f()i\steri). Thi.s lirrlc animal i.s called uuii'ini:, a word eorrespondins' to 

 tlie name n,<;ssunjinaK i;iven to tlie same animal in Lal)rador, wliieli, 

 aceoidinti to Kleinsclimidt,' is an ironical ai)i)lieation of the uame of 

 tiie largest seal, ni;ssnk (uj;ru at Point Barrow), to tlie smallest mammal 

 known to the Eskimo. The same uame is also ajjjdied at Point Barrow 

 to tlie fossil ox, whose bones are sometimes found. The most abundant 

 laud animal. howe\-er. is the reiudeer, tii'ktu (Kaugifer tarandus »rcBn- 

 landicus). which is found iu wiuter in great herds along the upper waters 

 of the rivers. <ic<'asi(inally coming down to the coa.st, and attbrds a very 

 important supi)ly of liiod. 



The moose, tuktuwiifi, or "big reindeer" ( Alee macWis), is well known 

 from the a<-eounts of the Nunatanmiun, who bring moo.se skins to trade. 

 Some of the natives have been east to hunt the mountain sheep, i'mne^ 

 (Oviii canadensis dalli), and all are familiar with its skin, horus, and 

 teeth, which they buy of the eastern natives. The musk ox, umiiimau 

 (Ovibos moschatus), is known only from its bones, which are sometimes 

 found ou the tundra. Inland, near the rivers, they also find a large 

 brown bear, a'kqlak, which is probably the barren ground bear, while 

 on the ice-pack, the jxilar beai-, nii'nu (Thalassarctos maritinms), is not 

 uncommon, sometimes making raids on the provision storehouses in 

 the villages. 



The most important sea animal is the little rough seal, netyiK (Phoca 

 foetida), which is very abundant at all .seasons. Its tlesli is the great 

 staple of food, while its blubber supplies the Eskimo lamps, and its skin 

 serves countless useful purposes. The great bearded seal, ligru (Erigna- 

 tbus barbatus), is less common. It is es]iecially valued for its hide, 

 which serves for covering the large boats and making stout harpoon 

 lines. Two other species of seal, the harbor seal, kasigia (Phoca 

 vitulina), and the beautiful ribbon seal, kaixoliii (Phoca fasciata), are 

 known, but both are uncommon, the latter very rare. 



Uerds of walrus, ai'bwek (Odobtenus obesus), pass along the coast 

 in the open season, generally resting on cakes of floating ice, and are 

 pursued for their hides and ivory as well as their flesh and blubber. 

 Whales, akbw6k, of the species Balfena mysticetus, most pursued for 

 its oil and whalebone, travel along the coast ui the leads of open water 

 above described from the middle of April to the latter part of June iu 

 large numbers, and return in the autumn, appearing about the end of 

 August. White whales, kilelua (Delphinapterus sp.), are not uncom- 

 mon in the .summer, and they say the narwhal, tug,41iri (Monodou 

 monoceros), is occasionally seen. They are also ae(iuainted with another 

 cetacean, which they call iixlo, and which appears from their descri]>tion 

 to be a species of Orca. 



Birds. — In the spring, that is during May and the early part of June, 

 vast flocks of migrating ducks pass to the northeast, close to the shore, 



' GrenlaDdsk Ordbog, p. 380. 



