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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 10 



bagged. OnJy four were killed by tbe Indians at 

 Tibaera during my residence of about 8 months, 

 although many more were shot. 



Even at daybreak, when the hunter is alert, 

 the tapir has already retired to sleep in the spiny, 

 liana-covered underbrush into which it is difficult 

 for the hunter to penetrate, and since he possesses 

 no dogs to rout his prey, he rarely runs across one 

 in his wanderings. Moreover, a tapir is hard to 

 kill and, when discovered and shot, frequently 

 escapes into a swamp where the pursuer dares not 

 venture. 



The few tapirs that are killed are usually shot 

 while they are asleep. They are often detected 

 by a short shrill whistle which they make at this 

 time. They may also sometimes be located by the 

 call of a small bird, known to the Siriono as 

 eakwantui ica, which accompanies the tapir and 

 lives largely by eating the wood ticks from its 

 body. The call of this bird is a clear sign to the 

 Indian that there is a tapir not far away. Once 

 the sleeping animal is discovered, the hunter 

 sneaks up quietly to within a few feet and shoots 

 it in the heart with a lanceolate bamboo-headed 

 arrow. If a feeding tapir is discovered in the day- 

 time, the hunter conceals himself in the brush near- 

 by and whistles like another tapir until the animal 

 comes within range of his bow. He then aims for 

 the heart and having released his arrow gives 

 rapid chase until the bleeding animal falls. 



The alligator (yikdri ekwdsv) is one animal 

 which is truly abundant in the area, particularly 

 during the dry season when the waters are low 

 and when they lie on the sand banks to sun 

 themselves or come further inland to lay their eggs. 



Alligators are hunted both with a bow and 

 arrow and with a club. Arrows are employed when 

 alligators are in the water with their heads up for 

 air; clubs, when they are lying in the open sunning 

 themselves. When shooting an alligator, which is 

 difficult to kill, the hunter aims either for the eye 

 or for the region just back of the shoulder. After 

 being hit and threshing around for some time in 

 the water, the animal usually comes to the surface 

 and can then be retrieved. If not, the hunter may 

 wade in, taking with him an arrow to locate the 

 beast by feeling around on the bottom. Once 

 the animal is located, the hunter goes under water, 

 grasps it by the tail, and slowly drags it ashore. 

 As these reptiles sometimes live for an hour or two 

 after they are shot, considerable time is allowed 



to elapse before any attempt is made to retrieve 

 them. In case they are encountered in the open 

 they are clubbed on the head until dead. 



Newborn alligators are sometimes used by 

 hunters to attract the mother. When a young 

 alligator is caught it begins to cry for its mother, 

 who, upon hearing it, comes running out of the 

 water to retrieve it. The hunter, waiting on 

 shore, strikes the mother over the head with a 

 club as she comes up the bank. By imitating a 

 young alligator a hunter can often produce the 

 same result. 



Alligator hunting is regarded as a precarious 

 business, and the hunter takes care so as not to 

 get bitten. While I was living at Tibaera an 

 Indian named Eabokdndu (Father-of-Long-Hair), 

 while fishing at the edge of a lake, was surprised 

 by an alligator and bitten on the upper leg. He 

 saved his life by jabbing the point of an arrow 

 into the alligator's eye, but was left with a nasty 

 wound that did not heal over for several months. 



Coatis are generally killed in the trees with 

 barbed chonta-headed arrows. When a troop is 

 discovered, a hunter is rarely able to kill more 

 than one before the rest of the band takes to the 

 ground in flight. When this happens, the hunter 

 drops his bow and arrows and gives chase through 

 the brush. I have seen coatis overtaken in this 

 fashion. They are seized by the tail and their 

 heads bashed on the ground, or they are hit with 

 a club picked up at random. Not infrequently a 

 hunter is bitten or gashed by the sharp eye teeth 

 of the coati while making his catch. 



The jaguar (ydkwa) and the puma are rarely 

 encountered in the forest. They are mostly found 

 on the pampa. Only one large jaguar and three 

 small ones were killed by the Indians while I was 

 living with them. Jaguars are shot, either in the 

 trees or on the ground, with bamboo-headed 

 arrows. 



The giant anteater (antandisa), being a slow 

 animal, is generally killed with a club. Only in 

 case one is discovered in a tree is it shot with a 

 bow and arrow. The same may be said for the 

 smaller variety (antanbvfa). The honey bear 

 when encountered tapping a hive of wild bee 

 honey is shot with the bow and arrow. 



Armadillos (tdtu) are usually routed from their 

 holes with a long flexible midrib of motacu palm, 

 and are clubbed as they come out. If caught out- 

 side their holes they are shot in the head with an 



