176 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS [WLH. ANN. 38 
game. Again, in calling the powis the Taruma, Parikuta, ete., will in 
a few minutes with twigs, leaves, and branches rig up a temporary 
fence and from behind its shelter bring down the bird as soon as it 
has been called within arrow shot (JO). At Mapeime village, in the 
Canuku Ranges, on the recently formed small lakes, the Makusi 
were busied in making oval-shaped leaf-thatched shelters that rose 4 
to 5 feet above the surface, in which they hid themselves. From in- 
side these they shot with blowtube or gun the birds that were strutting 
along the shore or wading around in the water (App, m, 446). 
Similarly, watch posts are constructed high up in those. particular 
fruit-bearing trees visited by certain birds, as toucans, and here they 
are watched for and shot (pl. 40). In the neighborhood of the 
Cuya River, on some of the higher trees rising in the savanna, 
Appun saw such exceedingly large nests that he jokingly considered 
them suitable for holding a roc’s egg. On closer view and inquiry 
he found them to be huge baskets plaited by the Indians, who lay 
in them at night waiting for the jaguars that prowled around (App, 
u, 181). 
160. Hunting arrows may be poisoned or not. Particulars of their 
construction and uses will be found elsewhere (Ch. X). They may 
be used with traps. 
By means of a comparatively simple apparatus (pl. 38, A) a bow 
and arrow may be set for striking tapir, deer, or labba, the arrange- 
ment as a whole being known to the Arawak as shimara-abbadago- 
tah (arrow trap). Two strong uprights (a, a) are driven firmly 
into the ground and joined by a horizontal crossbar (¢), the height 
at which this bar is fixed depending upon the particular animal to 
be shot, a height of one hand-width for labba, three for deer, and 
eight for tapir, a hand-width being reckoned as the distance between 
the tip of the extended thumb and the inner edge of the closed palm 
(B). A third strong upright (A, %) is driven into the ground be- 
tween them right behind. Between the anterior pair and resting upon 
the crossbar are two smooth rods (d, d), each supported horizon- 
tally on a small forked stick (2,7). The central portion of the bow (/) 
is next strongly tied on to these two uprights immediately above the 
crossbar and the rod ends. The catch string (7), against which 
the animal strikes, is now attached at one extremity to a post, tree, 
etc. (2), on the immediately farther side of the track and, passing 
under the crossbar, is fixed at the other to a carefully trimmed key 
pin (e) lying across the rods. This pencil, after the catch string 
has been stretched sufficiently taut, is held in position by the pres- 
sure upon it of a trigger (0) tied on to the posterior upright and 
passed from below upward end over the drawn bowstring. The ar- 
row (m) is finally adjusted in place, only to be freed on the dis- 
turbance of the catch string, whereby the key pin is tilted forward, 
