CULIN] SNOW-SNAKE 399 
mound low where the roll is actually buried, having it more elevated at some 
other point. The players aim to shoot their arrows into the hii’poiinné, and the 
one who strikes wins the game. The winner draws the husk from beneath 
the earth with the arrow. When the arrow strikes the mound, but does not 
touch the hii’poiinné, it is removed by the one who secretes the object, and a 
NIAID 
Fig. 511. Target and bow and arrows; length of target, 5} inches; length of bow, 18} inches; 
Zuni Indians, Zuni, New Mexico; cat. no. 3065, Brooklyn Institute Museum. 
second player shoots his arrow. Each player takes his turn until the hi’poiinne 
is struck, the one having the arrangement of it being the last one to shoot, and 
he is naturally the most frequent winner. This game affords great amusement 
to the younger men. 
SNOW-SNAKE 
T have included under the general name of snow-snake all that class 
of games in which darts or javelins are hurled along snow or ice or 
free in the air in a competition to see whose dart will go the farthest. 
They appear to be confined to the northern range of tribes, within the 
limit of ice and snow. 
There are three principal types: First, the snow-snake proper, in 
which a long polished rod is made to glide on the snow or ice ; second, the 
bone slider, in which a piece of bone or horn, stuck with two feathers, 
is made to slide along the ice; third, a game in which a javelin, some- 
times feathered and commonly tipped with horn, is made to slide 
along the ground or to dart through the air, after being made to 
glance by striking the earth or some other obstacle. 
The game of snow-snake is played with rods up to 10 feet in length, 
round or flat, usually highly polished, and not infrequently carved 
at the end. Shorter sticks, simple javelins or darts with carved heads, 
are also used. They are made to slide along the frozen crust, or in a 
rut in the snow. Sides are chosen and stakes bet upon the result, a 
snake which outdistances all on the opposite side counting a point. 
Snow-snake is distinctly a man’s game, but special forms exist for 
women. 
As suggested by the Omaha game, the first form appears to have 
been originally a ganie of sliding bows, and these may be referred to 
the two bows of the twin War Gods. The hurled snakes may be 
referred to their war clubs. The bone sliders which have been col- 
