742 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS _ [eTH. ANN. 24 
Tuompeson Inptans (NriakyAPpaAmMuK). British Columbia. (Ameri- 
can Museum of Natural History.) 
Cat. no. 548). Fir-wood top (figure 986), with iron pegs at top and 
bottom and twisted bark cord; height, 32 inches. 
Collected by Mr James Teit, who says: 
Formerly the pins of tops were made of bone instead of iron. Most tops 
lad buckskin thongs instead of bark strings, as they were considered superior 
for making them spin. Tops were generally spun on smooth ice, and the amuse- 
ment was indulged in occasionally by adults. Sometimes boys tried to split 
one another’s tops by trying to spin one on top of the other. 
Cat. no. zi%;. Disk of yellow pine bark (figure 987), 3 inches in 
diameter and five-eighths of an inch thick, with wooden spindle 
5 inches in length. 
Collected by Mr James Teit, who gives the name as salelaepten. 
Fig. 986. Fig. 987. 
Fic. 986. Top; height, 3} inches; Thompson Indians (Ntlakyapamuk), British Columbia; cat. 
no. gifs, American Museum of Natural History. 
Fig. 987. Top; diameter, 3 inches; Thompson Indians (Ntlakyapamuk), British Columbia; cat. 
no. s$$z, American Museum of Natural History. 
Mr Teit ¢ further says: 
Tops or whirligigs were used. These were generally made of a thin circular 
piece of wood, or more frequently a piece of yellow-pine bark, through the center 
of which was inserted a pin a fourth to half an inch in diameter and about 5 
or 6 inches long, the circular piece of wood being allowed to remain about the 
middle of the pin. The one who made his top spin the longest won. 
SHOSHONEAN STOCK 
Bannock. Fort Hall reservation, Idaho. (Cat. no. 37067, Free 
Museum of Science and Art, University of Pennsylvania.) 
Finger top, or teetotum (figure 988), made of the end of a cotton 
spool, with a peg for twirling; height, 14 inches. 
«The Thompson Indians of British Columbia. Memoirs of the American Museum of 
Natural History, whole series, v. 2, p. 281, New York, 1900. 
