316 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



the under side, near the top. This was found near Fort Brewerton, 



and was shown by J. H. Horton at the Onondaga centennial 



exhibition. 



Whistles and phalanges 



Phalanges of deer abound on early village sites, often more or 

 less worked. Many of these have a longitudinal and a lateral open- 

 ing, and are commonly classed as whistles. Some have a single long 

 perforation, and were probably used as ornaments. Others have a 

 lateral perforation at one end, plainly intended for suspension. The 

 writer has hesitated whether to separate these according to their sup- 

 posed uses or to place them together according to their natural and 

 slightly altered forms. The latter course is the least difficult and 

 will be followed in this case, some reference to this being made on 

 a later page. Most of the phalanges were probably used in a kind 

 of cup and ball game, as they still are by some Indian tribes. The 

 perforations served to connect them when so used. The common 

 name of bone whistle has been retained here. 



Fig. 142 is a neat article of this material, without lateral per- 

 foration, but with the ends cut in notches and polished. It was 

 found by Dr Hinsdale at Brewerton. Fig. 203 is worked all over,, 

 and has a longitudinal perforation, and a lateral hole near the broad 

 end. The form is like fig. 204, which has been already described 

 as a bone pipe. The essential differences are in its being bored 

 from end to end, and in having the lateral hole near the top instead 

 of the bottom. It is from the Christopher site, and is in the 

 Bigelow collection. The notch crossing the base does not show in 

 the figure. 



Fig. 205 is from the same place, and in the same collection. It 

 is of the same form, but is smaller, and is very nicely worked. A 

 scallop ornament of dots crosses one end. It is perforated through- 

 out. Fig. 206 is a slightly worked deer phalanx, found by the 

 writer at the Atwell site in 1896. It is perforated for suspension at 

 the small end. Fig. 207 is a large phalanx, deeply notched each 

 way at one end. This is in the Bigelow collection and from the 

 Christopher site. There are abundant examples of these, varying 

 in little things. One from the Garoga fort, in Fulton county, is 

 well worked, and is perforated at the small end. Such forms may 



