116 MASKS AND LABRETS. 



vided with bushy eyebrows of wolverine skin (Gulo luscus L.), between 

 which is a notch in the wood from which something once attached there 

 has fallen away. It was fastened to the head of the wearer by cords 

 which were attached at a hole within behind the forehead, and also 

 one at each side. The length of the original is 11 and its breadth 

 9 i nr hes. Another very similar mask from Neeah Bay, figured in Swan's 

 paper on the Indians of Cape Flattery is reproduced here (Plate XVII, 

 fig. 35 . 



20578 (Plate XIII, fig. 21). — A well-carved modern mask, collected by 

 J. G. Swan for the National Museum at Bellabella, British Columbia, near 

 Milbank Sound ; history wanting. It is carved of Alaska cedar, rather 

 thick and heavy. The ears, nostrils, lips, upper forehead, bauds around 

 the face and across the cheeks are colored red ; the eyebrows and hides 

 are black. The remainder of the portions dark-shaded in the figure 

 are blue, powdered while wet with triturated mica, which adhered when 

 the paint had hardened. The surface of the wood is bare in some of 

 the lighter-shaded portions. The eyes are not perforated, the wearer 

 peeping through the nostril holes. This mask was held on by cords 

 passing through its ears and around the nasal septum. The interior is 

 soiled with red paint, which appears to have been rubbed off the painted 

 face of the wearer. This is also evidently a festival mask, not used in 

 connection with, or, at least, not symbolical of, superstitious or totemic 

 ritual. The figure is one-fifth the linear size of the original. 



L'.">440 (Plate XVIII, figs. 38-39).— Dancing helmet from Xeeah Bay, 

 collected for the National Museum by J. G. Swan. This is carved of al- 

 der wood, and was probably made by the natives of Vancouver Island 

 for sale to the Makahs of Xeeah Bay, near Cape Flattery. It represents 

 the head of a hawk or eagle. The under part of the beak is hollowed 

 out for lightness, but a cross-bar is left for strength. Three cords ex- 

 tend across the back from one edge to the other over the head ; the 

 points where they are fastened are shown in the figure. The dark por- 

 tions in the figure are black in the original, the next lighter are red ; 

 the parts represented as white in the figure are the natural color of the 

 wood. The length is 14 and the breadth 8 inches. 



20890 (Plate XIX, figs. 43-44).— Dauciug helmet or inaskette, from 

 Kaigahnee Strait, Prince of Wales Islands, Alaska, collected by J. G. 

 Swan for the National Museum in 1876, and obtained at the Kleinma- 

 hoon village. The head and dorsal fin are of alder wood; the back, tail 

 and lateral fins of hide or leather painted over. Underneath the top is 

 a broad band of sealskin to go behind the head and hold the helmet on, 

 and there are some strips of buck or moose skin to tie under the chin. 

 The fringe at the back of the dorsal fin is composed of locks of human 

 hair pegged in. The figure was reported as intended to represent a 

 sculpiu (Cotlus), but it is more likely to be a killer whale (Orca), to which 

 the long dorsal fin and flat tail certainly belong. It may have been in- 

 tended as a sort of combination. The upper half and base of the dorsal 



