NELSON] SEAL, WALRUS, AND WHALE SPEARS 137 
the head of an otter. The inner end of the head has a wedge-shape 
slot, in which the beveled point of the shaft is fitted; in the base of tbe 
head is a hole through which a rawhide lashing is passed and wound 
tightly around the projecting sides of the slot, holding the head firmly 
against the shaft. A braided sinew cord is also wound about the shaft 
from the head to the butt, where the featherings are held in place by a 
tight wrapping. 
All the small spears with featherless shafts which were collected 
came from the shores of Norton sound; those with single feathering 
were obtained between Bering strait and the Kuskokwim, and those 
with the double feathering from Nunivak island and the adjacent 
mainland at Cape Vancouver, Chalitmut, and other villages of that 
district. 
These spears are the lightest weapons of this character used by the 
Alaskan Eskimo, and serve mainly for the capture of the smaller seals. 
Throwing-sticks are in general use for casting them. 
Figure 1, plate ry, from Nunivak island, is an example of another 
style of seal spear intended to be used with a throwing-stick; the 
head is short and thick and the feathered butt of the shaft has attached 
to it a bladder float, over which is a light netting of twisted sinew cord. 
WALRUS AND WHALE SPEARS 
For taking the larger and more vigorous seals, walrus, and white 
whales, a spear of about the same size and length is used in connection 
with a float and float-board. The dragging of the shaft against the 
water, in the kind of spears just described, is sufficient for retarding 
the flight of the smaller seals after they are struck, but for the larger ani- 
mals the greater resistance of a large float on a long line is required. 
This latter style of implement isin use from Kotzebue sound to Bristol 
bay. The haft is not feathered, and the head is rather longer and 
slightly heavier than that on ordinary spears of the class just described. 
The heads are of ivory or bone, and, in the region about Nunivak island 
and the adjacent mainland, are commonly carved into the conventional 
forms of wolves or land otters. 
Figure 7, plate Liv, from Nunivak island, is such a spear, with the 
end of the head carved to represent the head of a land otter, with blue 
beads inlaid for eyes. 
Figure 8, plate Liv, from the lower Kuskokwim, is a spear with the 
shaft carved to represent the conventionalized form of a wolf. The 
ivory head has a wedge shape point by which it is fitted to the shaft, 
and is bound firmly in place by a spruce-root lashing in place of the 
usual sinew or sealskin cord. . 
Figure 10, plate Liv, from the Yukon mouth, is a spear with the 
float line and board attached. The barbed ivory point has a triangular 
iron tip inserted in a slot, and is united to the head by a rod of deer- 
horn inserted in a hole in its lower end. The point is pierced through 
the middle for the insertion of a strong rawhide line, which passes 
