ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 105 



meteors, northern-lights, eclipses, great floods, lightning, 

 bleeding at the nose, the birth of twins, lucky numbers. 



In order to show the scope of the paper a few of the 

 superstitions given are subjoined : 



The Indians on the Huallaga (S. Am.) injures his sarbacane 

 by shooting at a certain small yellow bird, and by discharg- 

 ing his arrow at a snake he will make the blow-tube as 

 crooked as the snake itself. 



Among a great variety of tribes widely separated, silence 

 is enjoined during the hunt. 



The Cholos purge themselves severely and remain in the 

 hammock until the moon changes, before a great hunt, 



To become a good hunter you must kill a cougar, or 

 grizzly bear, or eat the heart of a rattlesnake or of a slain 

 enemy. 



Whale-fishers of Alaska keep the bodies of celebrated 

 hunters in caves. When they are about to go on a whaling 

 cruise they put these corpses in water and then drink it so 

 as to acquire great skill and prowess. 



Sneezing is a sign that some one is thinking of you. 

 Combing the hair after dark is a sign that one of our parents 

 will not live long. Only old persons comb their hair in the 

 evening. 



Dreaming of hides always is a prognostic of great wealth. 



If your shadow falls on a hill you will find no edible roots. 



The Modocs will not kill a white deer unless there are 

 many persons present, 



On the Colorado River a meteor ftying west is the " big 

 man's " heart hastening to the ocean. 



The polar light is among many tribes the dance of the 

 dead. 



In the double rainbow the faint arch is the grandmother 

 of the bright one. 



Among the Salinas (S. Am.) twins are the evidence of 

 illicit intercourse, and the woman is punished. 



