204 PUEBLO ARCHITECTURE. 
The special object of this arrangement is in some cases difficult to 
determine; the raised end in all the examples on any one roof always 
takes the same direction, and in many cases its position relative to 
drainage suggests that it is a provision against flooding by rain on the 
slightly sloping roof; but this relation to drainage is by no means con- 
stant. Roof holes on the west side of the village in such positions as to 
be directly exposed to the violent sand storms that prevail here during 
certain months of the year seem in some cases to have in view proteec- 
tion against the flying sand. We do not meet with evidence of any 
fixed system to guide the disposition of this feature. In many cases 
these trap holes are provided with a thin slab of sandstone large enough 
to cover the whole opening, and used in times of rain. During fair 
weather these are laid on the roof, near the hole they are designed to 
cover, or lie tilted against the higher edge of the trap, as shown in 
Fig. 97. 
Fic. 97, A Zuni roof hole with cover. 
When the cover is placed on one of these holes, with a high slab 
at one end, it has a steep pitch, to shed water, and at the same time 
light and air are to some extent admitted, but it is very doubtful if this 
is the result of direct intention on the part of the builder. The possi- 
ble development of this roof trap of unusual elevation into a rudimen- 
tary chimney has already been mentioned in the discussion of chimneys. 
A development in this direction would possibly be suggested by the 
desirability of separating the access by ladder from the inconvenient 
smoke hole. This must have been brought very forcibly to the atten- 
tion of the Indian when, at the time a fire was burning in the fireplace, 
they were compelled to descend the ladder amidst the smoke and heat. 
