52 Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. [Vol. XVIII, 



Fig. 7 , c, shows an unembroidered armlet, made of the 

 skin from an elk-foot. A round piece of green cloth attached 

 to the skin represents the sun. The two pieces of hoof repre- 

 sent the long, curving nails of old persons. The small holes 

 in these hoofs represent the various things possessed by the 

 owner of this armlet. These holes also have another sig- 

 nification: those around the edges of the hoofs denote stars; 

 and five holes in quincunx in the middle of each hoof repre- 

 sent (the five fingers of) the hand, which is symbolically 

 equivalent to possession of property. 



One of a pair of red quill-embroidered armlets is shown in 

 Fig. I of Plate vi. It was worn in the ghost-dance. The 

 black squares represent buffalo. The red quill-wound strings 

 falling from the armlet are kakau'getcana" (thoughts, reason, 

 imagination, hope, desires, or anything mental). The orna- 

 ments at their ends represent naii'tate'ihi (fulfilment of desire). 



Fig. 2 of Plate vi shows a woman's ghost-dance armlet, 

 embroidered with yellow quill-work. The bird embroidered 

 in green quills represents a magpie. The red cross is the 

 morning star. The red rectangle is the symbol of life. 



The fringe of green-dyed buckskin represents rays of light, 

 and (on account of its color) the earth. The attached magpie- 

 feathers represent persons (presumably spirits) ; and small 

 yellow plumes attached to these represent the sun. 



Fig. 3 of Plate vi shows a head-dress. It consists of a 

 small hoop wound with yellow quills. Two owl- feathers are 

 attached to it. It is worn on the side of the head. The cir- 

 cular quill-wrapped portion with four black spots on it 

 represents a sun-dog. 



A peculiar head-dress, which is found among many of the 

 Plains tribes, consists of a strip of skin, measuring about two 

 inches by eight, which is covered with beads or quills, and 

 has various strings or appendages attached to it. It is worn 

 hanging from the scalp-lock, at the back of the head. Among 

 the Arapaho, a horse-tail is generally attached to the lower 

 end of this head-dress. It is worn by young men on festive 

 occasions and at ceremonials at which uniform regalia are not 

 prescribed. Many of these head-dresses represent animals. 



