Nov. 4, 1886] 



NATURE 



13 



Morse told him that there were other methods of drawing 

 the arrow. 



(2) Secondary Release.— This is a direct outgrowth from 

 the primary release. It consists in grasping the arrow 

 with the straightened thumb and bent forefinger, while 

 the ends of the second and third fingers are brought to 

 bear on the string to assist in drawing (Figs. 3 and 4). 



Figs.l&2. Primary release. 



The Ottawas and Zuni Indians practised this, as also 

 did the Chippewas of Northern Wisconsin. 



(3) The Ter/iary Release differs little from the second- 

 ary. The forefinger, instead of being bent, is nearly 

 straight, with its tip, as well as the tips of the second and 

 third fingers, pressing or pulling on the string, the thumb, 

 as in the primary and secondary release, active in assist- 

 ing in pinching the arrow and pulling it back. This 

 is used amongst various tribes of American Indians — 

 Siou.v, Araphoes, Cheyenne, Assinboins, Comanches, 



Figs.3&4. Secondary release . 



Crows, and Blackfeet. The -Siamese, too, practise this 

 release, with the difference that one finger only is used on 

 the string instead of two. It appears, too, from Mr. 

 Man's recent paper before the Anthropological Institute, 

 that the Andaman Islanders use this method. 



(4) The Mediterranean Release. — This release has been 

 in vogue among the northern Mediterranean nations for 



centuries, and among those of the southern Mediterra- 

 nean for tens of centuries, and is the oldest release of 

 which we have any knowledge. It is practised to-day, 

 continues Prof. Morse, by all modern English, French, 

 and American archers, and is the release used by the 

 European archers of the Middle Ages. It consists in 

 drawing the string back with the tips of the first, second. 



Figs.5&6. Mediterranean release. 



and third fingers, the balls of the fingers clinging to the 

 string, with the terminal joints of the fingers slightly 

 flexed. The arrow is held lightly between the first and 

 second fingers, the thumb straight and inactive (Figs. 5 

 and 6). A leather glove or leather finger-strings are worn, 

 as Roger Ascham expresses it in his " Toxophilus," pub- 

 lished in 1584, "to save a man's fingers from hurtinge. 



Figs.7&8 Mongolian release. 



that he may be able to beare the sharpe stringe to the 

 uttermoste of his strengthe.'' In this release, the arrow 

 must be to the left of the bow vertical. The Eskimo of 

 Alaska employ this release, using, however, only the first 

 and second fingers in drawing the string, and it appears 

 to be almost universal in the Arctic regions. "f?.lS 



These four releases may be considered. Prof. JNIorse 



