FEWKES] THE MISHONGNOVI ANTELOPE ALTAR 969 
at Walpi, are generally placed on a basket tray near the altar. It is 
possible that they belong to novices, but their fate when the altar was 
destroyed was not noticed. Four netted gourds were carried by the 
Antelope priests in the public dance. 
In the public dance at Oraibi each Antelope priest carried one of 
these water gourds, while in the other pueblos, where the number of 
participants is smaller, only one or two priests bear these objects. 
At Walpi, for instance, the Antelope chief has one of the water gourds 
which is not conspicuous in the public ceremony. At the Middle 
mesa several gourds are used, while at Oraibi they form an important 
feature of the ceremonial paraphernalia, and it is probable that the 
conditions at Oraibi are nearer the ancient than at Walpi in this partic- 
ular. A number of basket trays containing prayer-sticks occupied 
the whole space of the floor between the altar and the fireplace. This 
is similar to what is found at Shipaulovi, as shown in a figure of the 
altar of that pueblo.’ 
There is good evidence that the Walpi custom of making prayer- 
sticks of different lengths, corresponding to the length of finger joints, 
and of prescribing the days of their manufacture and the distance of 
the shrines in which they are deposited, is not followed at Shipauloyi, 
Oraibi, and Mishongnovi. 
While there is a general similarity between the pahos made by the 
Antelope societies in all the Tusayan pueblos, there are differences in 
detail. One of the component sticks is provided with a flat facet, on 
which is painted eyes and mouth, forming a rude representation of a 
face. While this facet is absent from the Walpi Snake and Antelope 
pahos, the two sticks which compose the prayer-offering are regarded 
as male and female. 
Snake Wuies 
On entering the Mishongnovi Snake kiva all the snake whips were 
found to be arranged in a row against a banquette at the end of the 
room. <A similar arrangement has also been noticed in the Snake kiva 
at Shipaulovi, but there was no evidence of an altar or sand picture 
in the Snake chamber in either of the pueblos named. The snake 
whips are composed of two shafts, instead of one, with a corn-husk 
packet of meal tied about the middle. This would seem to indicate 
that the whips were regarded as prayer-sticks, and indeed this name 
(paho) is applied to them. During the ceremony of washing the 
reptiles a small ‘* breath feather” of the eagle, stained red, is tied to 
the scalplock, but later this feather is detached and fastened by one 
