Eskimo String Figures 143 b 



CXXV. A Ptaemigan's Nest 



This is an Inland northern Alaskan figure which, beginning like the figures 

 of "the brown bear's pack" series, continues hkfe two other Inland Eskimo 

 figures, "the butterfly" and "the seal-net" (see Nos. CIX and LXXXVII). 

 The natives call this figure uyXu, which means "a bird's nest." 



Hold a short length of the string on the thumbs. With the palms of the 

 indices from the distal side take up the string that passes from one thumb to the 

 other, turning the indices outward. 



With the palm of each thumb take up the opposite thumb index string and 

 separate the hands. 



Insert the remaining three fingers' of each hand from below from the proximal 

 side into the index loops and hook them over the radial index string. 



With the back of each thumb draw the radial index string on each side out 

 through the thumb loops, thereby navahoing the thumbs. 



With the backs of the middle fingers push out the two strings which run 

 on each side across the palms of the thumbs between their radial and ulnar 

 strings. 



On the distal side of all the other strings remove with the palm of the right 

 middle finger from the proximal side the two loops on the left middle finger, 

 these fingers being pointed inward, then similarly with the left middle finger 

 the right middle finger loops. 



The ulnar index strings pass across the backs of the middle fingers just 

 before they intersect each other. Push them out, one with the back of each 

 middle finger. 



Drop the thumb loops and take up with the thumbs from the proximal side 

 the radial index strings. 



Fig. 188 



You have "the ptarmigan's nest" — the square the sides of which are formed 

 by double strings. The loop which makes a semi-circle with the near side of the 

 square as its diameter is the noose which strangled it. (Grease this string so that 

 it will stand up vertically above the nest.) 



