CLOTHING AND ORNAMENT. 93 



calabash is therefore not pushed down in front, but remains in the vertical position, as 

 illustrated by FlNSCH [iSSS^, PL XVI, fig. 7]; hence, their principal ornament is applied on 

 the side opposite to that of the opening. FlNSCH states [1888 — 93, 225] that the calabashes 

 also contain leaves, intended for the protection or enlargement of the pénis, in order 

 to prevent the calabash falling off when the wearer moves about. I hâve not met with 

 thèse leaves. 



The old gentleman spoken of above, vvithout using leaves or anything else, was able to jump 

 about, without dropping the calabash and that immediately after putting it on. At another 

 time, when I bought a calabash, directly from the wearer, which took my particular fancy 

 on account of the ornament, I did not see any leaves used either. On this occasion the wearer 

 turned aside for a moment, pretending to replace his calabash by another; when however I 

 looked at the object handed to me I noticed that it was a différent one and that he still 

 wore the desired calabash. The déception having been found out, he finally gave up the desired 

 object to the hilarity of the company squating round. The laughing on occasions like this is 

 never derisively levelled at the deceiver, on the contrary it applauds his commercial spirit, 

 even though it failed ; at the same time it is intended for the person who is clever enough to 

 see through the déception. 



It appeared to me that the egg-shaped calabashes were worn by older, the pear-shaped 

 ones by younger people ; but I dare not surmise whether social position, différence of tribe or 

 anything else décides in this matter. The ornament however, is probably connected with 

 such différences. With both kinds of calabashes, there is always considérable variety, although 

 that of the egg-shaped ones offers, according to the place of origin, mutual différences which 

 however apparently do not effect the meaning of the représentation. It represents flying or 

 hovering animais, either birds, as supposed by PREUSS [1899, 172, PI. VI, fig. 34 — 36], or 

 Pteropus or P etaurus, as, I fancy, the figures of the egg-shaped calabashes of the 

 collection (N°. 433, PL XV, fig. 4; N°. 434, 435, PL XVI, fig. 11 ; N°. 436, PL XVI, fig. 12) 

 indicate. The head generally corresponds with the opening, the contours surrounding the 

 same. That the three plain animal figures of N°. 436 represent Petaurus, seems to follow from 

 the intentional broadening of the burnt-in contour on both sides between the front- and the 

 hind leg, by which the flying membrane is represented, whilst one of the figures lias a curled 

 tail. I must however remark that FlNSCH [1888 — 93, PL 10, fig. S b ] illustrâtes of another 

 calabash from Sëkâ, an ornament, taken by him (after PREUSS [1899, 174, fig. 1] perhaps with 

 good reason) for a lizard, where the thickening of the contour as an indication of the flying 

 membrane does not appear either. The small circle with radiating lines on N°. 434 (see also 

 PREUSS [1899, PL VI, fig. 35 and 35a]) m a y probably be taken for a crab (see pag. 44, 

 fig. 17). The ornament of the pear-shaped calabashes (N°. 437 — 443), differs considerably from 

 the previous one and is distinguished by the delicacy of the design, which can only hâve been 

 done with hard, sharp, heated instruments. PREUSS [1899, 170, 173, PL VI, fig. 1 — 8] has 

 ingeniously analysed thèse ornaments and described them as birds and snakes. According to 

 this idea, the three centipedes represented on N°. 437 (PI. XV, fig. S and 5 a ) should be 

 considered as birds with several pairs of wings. 



The pubic covering ofthe women offers a fairly large variety. In British N. G. 

 (Macgregor [1897, 49]) and the greater part of K. W. Land a front and back apron of vegetable 



