72 THE OSAGE TKIBE [bth. ann. 36 



chief, whicli is also the onh-.r in wliich thov are r(>(ite<l at the tattooing 

 ceremony. 



For the purpose of initiation into the mysteries of these combined 

 rites a number of the Wa-xo'-be To°-ga were made and consecrated. 

 These, in contrast with the other shrines, were circulated by transfer 

 among the members of the tribe without regard to the tribal divisions 

 or to the gentes to which the candidates may belong. 



In the month of February, 1911, one of these wa-xo'-bes was 

 secured for the National Museum from the widow of Wa-fe'-to"- 

 zhi°-ga. The outer case, hke those of the hawk wa-xo'-bes, was made 

 of woven buffalo hair (pi. 4, «). The inner case, within which are 

 kept the pelican and the cormorant wa^xo'-be and other sacred 

 articles, was made of woven rush, with symbolic designs similar to 

 those on the rush cases of the hawk wa-xo'-bes (pi. 5). 



The two wa-xo'-bes were folded one inside of the other, so as to 

 make one roll. The tattooing wa-xo'-be, which is the sldn of a cor- 

 morant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is split down the entire length of the 

 back. Around the base of the tail is wound a string of scalp locks, 

 10 or 12 in number, that hang down hke a skirt. Within the body 

 of the skin are placed eight tattooing instruments, the points toward 

 the head and the tops toward the tail. The shafts of some of the 

 instruments are flat, others round, and about the length of a lead 

 pencil. To the lower ends of the shafts are fastened steel needles, 

 some in straight rows and others in bunches. To the tops of some of 

 the shafts are fastened small rattles made of pelican or eagle quills. 

 The needle parts of the shafts are covered with buffalo hair to protect 

 them against rust. The skin of the cormorant was folded over the 

 tattooing instruments, the neck of the bird doubled over the back 

 and tied down. The skin of a pelican, split down the back, is wrapped 

 around the cormorant and tied around the middle with a band of 

 woven fiber. The bill, head, and neck of the pelican are missing. 



Within the woven rush case, placed without any particular order, 

 are seven weasel skins; one tobacco pouch made of a buffalo heart- 

 sack; bits of braided sweet-grass; half of the shell of a fresh-water 

 mussel for holding the coloring matter; four tubes, one of bamboo and 

 three of tin. worn by the operator on his fingers as guides for the in- 

 struments when he is at work; two bunches of the wing-feathers of 

 small birds used in applying the coloring matter; an old burden- 

 strap ; four wing-bones of a pelican or an eagle, tied together with a 

 twisted cord of wood or nettle fiber; two rabbits' feet, used for 

 brushing the skin of the parts that have been gone over with the 

 instruments when the subject becomes nervous by the irritation of 

 the wounds; and a large brass ring worn by the operator around his 

 neck as a part of his sj-mbolic paraphernalia. 



