458 SIGN LANGUAGE AMONG NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 
TRIBAL SIGNS. 
ABSAROKA or CROW. 
The hands held out each side, and striking the air in the manner of 
flying. (Long.) 
Imitate the flapping of the bird’s wings with the two hands, palms 
downward, brought close to the shoulder. (Burton.) 
Imitate the flapping of a bird’s wings with the two hands, palms 
to the front and brought close to the shoulder. (Creel.) 
Place the flat hand as high as and in front or to the side of the right 
shoulder, move it up and down, the motion occurring at the wrist. For 
more thorough representation both hands are sometimes employed. 
(Arapaho IL; Cheyenne V; Dakota V, VI, VILL; Ponka I1; Kaiowa I; 
Panil; Comanche I11; Apache IL; Wichita II.) “ Bird’s wing.” 
Both hands extended, with fingers joined (W), held near the shoulders, 
and flapped to represent the wings of a crow. (Dakota II, III.) 
At the height of the shoulders and a foot outward from them, move 
the upright hands forward and backward twice or three times from the 
wrist, palms forward, fingers and thumbs extended and separated a lit- 
tle; then place the back or the palm of the upright opened right hand 
against the upper part of the forehead; or half close the fingers, 
placing the end of the thumb against the ends of the fore and middle 
fingers, and then place the back 
of the hand against the forehead. 
This sign is also made by the 
Arapahos. (DakotalV.) ‘ Toim- 
itate the flying of a bird, and also 
indicate the manner in which the 
Absaroka wear their hair.” 
Make with the arms the motion 
of flapping wings. (dtutine I.) 
The flat right hand, palm out- 
ward to the front and right, is held 
; in front of the right shoulder, and 
1B 2 quickly waved back and forth a 
few times. When made for the information of one ignorant of the com- 
mon sign, both hands are used, and the hands are moved outward from 
the body, though still near the shoulder. (Shoshoni and Banak 1.) 
“Wings, t. e., of a crow.” Fig. 281. 
