356 Observations on the Language of Signs. 
 & Moon.—The thumb and finger open, are elevated 
towards the right ear. °—Dunbar? s Esai - Transacs. 
Amer. Philos. Soc. 
The Indian sign for good, for death, and pretty, are nearly 
the same as those of the deaf mute. 
“ Good.—The hand held horizontally, back apwacda! 
describes with the arm a horizontal curve outwards.” 
“ Death.— By throwing the fore finger from the perpen- 
dicular, into a horizontal position towards the ee with 
the back downwards.” 
‘‘ Pretty.— The fingers and vee so apposed as to fork 
a curve, are passed over the face nearly touching it, from 
the forehead to the chin, then add the sign of good.” 
The signs for thefi, exchange, riding on horseback, fish, 
be quiet, fool, and snake, are the same as those employed 
in the tuition of the deaf and dumb. 
** Theft.—The left fore-arm is held horizontally a little 
forward or across the body, and the right hand passing un- 
der it, with a quick motion, seems to grasp something and 
is suddenly withdrawn.” 
“ Exchange-—The iwo fore-fingers are extended per- 
pendicularly, and the hands are then passed by each other 
transversely in front of the breast, so as nearly to exchange 
positions.” 
“ Riding on Horseback.—The index and middle finger 
of the right hand, are straddled over the left index fin- 
ger, representing the rider and the horse; these are 
then jolted forward to represent the trotting motion of 
the horse.”’ 
Be quiet, or be not alarmed, or have plea eo 
palm of the hand is held towards the person. 
“ Fish.—Hold the upper edge of the hand horizontally, 
and agitate it in the manner ofa fan but more rapidly, in 
imitation of the motion of the tail of the fish.” — 
‘ Fool.—The finger is pointed to the forehead and the 
hand is then held vertically above the head, and rotated 
on the wrist two or three times.” 
“‘ Snake-—The fore-finger is extended horizontally and 
passed along forward in a serpentine line. This is alko 
used to indicate the Snake nation of Indians.’ 
The Indian sign for a squaw is natural, but would not an- 
swer for a universal sign for a woman ; it is, however, ap- 
