Some Fiqures in String. 145 



Patamona boy in the 2nd. movement twists the left hand. In the 3rd. he 

 picks up the loop from below, i.e., from the radial side which in this case 

 is lower than the ulnar. Dr. Lutz gives it the generic name of " Fly " 

 which he calls " Toolik." It remains to be seen whether the word which 

 Dr. Lutz represents- by " Toolik " means in Patamona "Fly " or " Cowfly." 

 Its similarity to the Makushi word " Toorir " would seem to imply the 

 latter. The Makushis have dropped the final "k" entirely from 

 very many words. They even refuse to pronounce it in such 

 Patamona words as Tuk-eit, Amak-tuek. The Patamonas put a final 

 " k " on to the word Kaieteur. In both languages there seems to be 

 little or no distinction made between " 1 " and " r " and both letters seem 

 to be in a great measure interchangeable. Hence a word pronounced by 

 a Patamona as " Toolik " might easily be pronounced by a Makushi as 

 " Toorir " and both of them would say that they were uttering the same 

 word. 



Kitdbea (Woodpecker). 

 1st. Put the right leg through the circle of the string to form a loop on 

 the back of the calf. 



2nd. Bring the right string round the front and under the foot. We 

 have now two dorsal strings and one frontal one. 



3rd. In the bight that remains, form " Opening A " taking the left 

 palmar string first (this is essential). 



4th. Pass the foot through the index loops, release the loops on the index 

 and little fingers and pull with the thumbs when the string will be 

 rel ased. 



Sometimes in the 4th movement, both feet are passed through the 

 index loops. In this case the string is transferred from one leg to the 

 other. On occasions the Indians continue this game of moving the string 

 from one leg to the other and back again. This would seem to be the 

 true origin of the name they give the trick as the flitting of the wood- 

 pecker is very well represented. 



Awotixer (Cutting the Throat.) 

 This trick is performed in the same manner as Kitubra except that 

 the 1st. movement is done round the neck by putting the string at the back 

 of the neck, passing the right string round by the front and back again. 

 In the 4th. movement the index loops are passed over the head. As far 

 as I could make out the word " Awotindr " means " damaged or cut 

 neck." I have, however, called it " Cutting the Throat " as being nearer 

 our English idiom. 



Waxamari-Yember (Looking-gmss Frame). 

 This pretty pattern is formed from a variation of " Opening A.'' 



1st. First Position, 



