THE INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA. 137 
dian whitens the sides of his body with clay, and puts a per- 
fect decoy antelope’s head on top of his own.* With a short 
stick in his left hand to give length to the pretended foreleg, 
aud carrying his bow and arrows in his right, he pretends 
to feed contentedly on the grass until the antelope approaches 
sufficiently near for him to kneel and shoot. The hunter, 
when standing or walking, supports himself on the short 
stick held in the left hand, like an animal standing on three 
legs (Fig. 34). I found by adopting this decoy head, and 
wearing knit clothing, that the antelope would come to me 
readily if I would remain in one place and hold the head 
near the ground, as if feeding. It was more difficult to walk 
far in this way, and the antelopes would come to me at times 
when if I had attempted to go to them, they would have 
become alarmed. | 
To illustrate the ease with which an Indian can provide 
food for himself, I saw one come to the bank of Feather 
River one afternoon and start a fire. Turning over the sod 
and searching under the logs and stones he found some 
grubs. Pulling up some light dry reeds of the last year’s 
growth he plucked a few hairs from his own head and tied 
the grubs to the bottom of the reeds, surrounding the bait 
with a circle of loops. These reeds were now stuck lightly 
in the mud and shallow water near the edge of the river, and 
he squatted and watched the tops of his reeds. Not a sound 
now broke the quiet of the place; the Indian was as motion- 
less as the trees that shaded him. Presently one of the reeds 
trembled at the top and the Indian quietly placed his thumb 
and finger on the reed and with a light toss a fish was thrown 
on the grass. The reed was put back, another reed shook 
and two fish were thrown out; then still another and the 
fellow was soon cooking his dinner. 
The spearing of salmon by torch-light, is very exciting. 
* This = "d rent skin of = ae head with artificial horns made from tulé 
e bulb ef ^ ie daas | bar ete with charcoal; 
2 Ortho diih zin ped fi dpecker, with the purple 
iik fédihers attached. 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 18 
cover ed W P 
