[115] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 385 



Three-clawed seal- scratched — Continued. 



rigidly fastened in the palm. Length, 10f inches. Ooglaamie, 

 1882. 56555. Used by natives by scratching upon the ice or 

 snow to attract the attention of seals. Lieutenant P. H. Ray, 

 U. S. A. 



Four-clawed seal-scratcher. 



Handle and prongs wood, tipped with the claws of seal ; claws 

 served with seal sinew, and lashed to a rigid ivory peg in palm ; 

 becket of seal-skin rove through a hole in the handle and 

 knotted. Length, 8|- inches. Ooglaamie. 56557. Used by 

 natives by scratching upon the ice or snow to attract seals. 

 Lieutenant P. H. Eay, U. S. A. 



Removing Ice and Snow when Seal Hunting. 



Large ice-dipper. 



Handle wood, partially painted brick-dust red; dipper made of 

 bone, steamed and bent into almost a perfect circle (3§ inches 

 by 3J inches at bottom, 1 inch deep), with a lip. The bottom 

 is interlaced with seal-skin thongs, forming a strainer. The 

 dipper is lashed to the pole with seal sinew. New. Length, 

 38 inches. Alaska. 36024. E. W. Nelson. Used by natives 

 when seal hunting for removing loose ice from seal holes. 



Small ice-dipper. 



Similar to 36024. Reticulated bottom, strips of baleen; handle 

 wood, one-half inch in diameter. Old. Length, 21£ inches. 

 Diomecle Island. 63605. E. W. Nelson. 



Eskimo ice-brush. 



Handle, wood ; flaring bone butt-piece, inserted in recessed handle 

 and wrapped with strips of seal-skin. Brush consists of a 

 narrow strip of baleen, horn colored, with fringe attached, and 

 seized to the handle with seal-skin thongs. Length, 30 inches. 

 King's Island, Alaska. 63606. E. W. Nelson. Used by na- 

 tives for brushing away snow when seal hunting, and also for 

 brushing snow and ice from their garments. 



Probing for Seals. 

 Snow-probe. 



A slender rod of bone, with a large knob and a small ferule appar- 

 ently of moose-horn ; ferule fastened with a small ivory peg. 

 Length, 33 inches. Northeastern coast. 10274. Captain C. F. 

 Hall. Used by the Eskimos in probing the air-holes in ice and 

 under the snow to detect the presence of seals. 

 2444— Bull. 27 25 



