HOFFMAN 



THE SNOW-SNAKE 



245 



to give tlie snake an upward curve as it leaves the hands, thus pro- 

 pelling it a considerable distance before touching- the snow or ice. 



A short time since a similar game was observed among the Crow 

 boys at Crow agency, Montana. By them, however, it was played 

 during the summer, and instead of a wooden snake they employed an 

 arrow with a blunt wooden head. Each player had a bundle of from 

 ten to twenty arrows, and would propel all of them before giving place 



Fig. 31— Holding snow-snake preparatory to throwing. 



to his opponent. Furthermore, to aid in giving the arrow an upward 

 curve and to make it fly farther, a short board was placed on the ground, 

 the farther end of which was raised about 4 inches. The arrow was 

 grasped in the same way as the Menomiui held the wooden snake. 



RACES 



A mutually satisfactory manner of starting a footrace is often adopted 

 by two participants, as follows: After the course in which the race is 



