295 



The right hand, fattened, is held over and in front of the right 

 shoulder, and quickly waved back and forth a few times as if fanning the 

 side of the face. When made for the information of one ignorant of the 

 common sign, both hands are used, and the hands are moved outward 

 from the body, though still near the shoulder. (Shoshoni and Banak I.) 

 " Wings, i. e., of a crow." 



Arikara. (Corruptly abbreviated Ree.) 



With the right hand closed, curve the thuml> and index, join their 

 tips so as to form a circle, and place to the lobe of the ear. {AbsaroJca 

 I; Hidatsn 1.) " Big ear-rings." 



Collect the fingers and thumb of the right hand nearly to a point, and 

 make a tattooing or dotting motion toward the upper portion of the 

 cheek. This is the old sign and was used by them previous to the adop- 

 tion of the more modern one representing "corn-eaters. (Arikara I.) 



Place the back of the closed right hand transversely before the mouth, 

 and rotate it forward and backward several times. This gesture may 

 be accompanied, as it sometimes is, bya motion of the jaws as if eating, to 

 illustrate more fully the meaning of the rotation of the fist. [Kaiotva I ; 

 Comanche III; Wichita II; Apachell.) " Corn-eater ; eating corn from 

 the cob." 



Signified by the same motions with the thumbs and forefingers that 

 are used in shelling corn. The dwarf Eee (Arikara) corn is their pecul- 

 iar possession, which their tradition says was given to them by God, 

 who led them to the Missouri River and instructed them how to plant 

 it. (Rev. C. L. Hall, in The Missionanj Herald, Aiml, 1880.) "They 

 are the cornshellers." 



Apache. See also lil^ariii Spring-. 



Make either of the signs for Poor, in property. (Kaioica 1; 

 Comanche III ; Apache II ; Wichita II.) " It is said that when the first 

 Apache came to the region they now occupy he was asked who or what 

 he was, and not understanding the language he merely made the sign 

 for Poor, which expressed his condition." 



Rub the back of the extended forefinger from end to end with the ex- 

 tended index. (Comanche II; Ute I.) " Poor, poverty-stricken." 



Mescalero. 



Same sign as for Lipan. (Kaiowa I ; Comanche III ; Apache II ; 

 Wichita II.) 



Arapaiio. 



The fingers of one hand touch the breast in different i)arts, to indicate 

 the tattooing of that part in points. (Long.) 



