270 Stone Implements and Ornaments. [ May, 
in length and an inch in width, but whether designed for some 
ornamental purpose or whether used as implements of some kind, 
Iam unable to say. Figure 1, Plate I., is a specimen of basket 
weaving found in one of the ruins of the Mancos, but I am inclined 
to think that it is not of very ancient workmanship, but was 
most probably carried there by some roving Indian who belonged 
to a more recent tribe. Yet it is not improbable that this had 
been woven centuries ago, for it is made of a species of rush 
(Scirpus validus) which occurs abundantly on the banks of the 
stream, and this kind of vegetable’ matter, containing, as it does, 
a considerable amount of silica, might remain perfect in sheltered 
locations for an indefinite period. f 
Figure 2, Plate I., illustrates a bundle of sticks which was 
found buried beneath a pile of rubbish in a cliff house of the 
same cañon. These sticks may have been used in some game. 
Such objects are employed at the present day by several Indian 
tribes. The Utes use them in gambling, each one counting a 
unit. As they are won théy are stuck in the ground in front of 
the player, and he who succeeds in winning all the sticks gains 
the stakes. These pieces of wood have been sharpened at one 
end by rubbing on stones. Mr. Holmes, who discovered them, 
says, ‘ The bit of cord with which they are tied is made of a 
flax-like fibre carefully twisted and wrapped with coarse strips 
of Yucca bark; beside this a number of short pieces of rope of 
different sizes were found, that for beauty and strength would 
do credit to any people. The fibre is a little coarser and lighter 
than flax, and was probably obtained from a species of Yucca 
which grows everywhere in the Southwest.” 
Among the personal adornments of most aboriginal tribes of 
men are found many varieties of beads which have been. cut or 
ground from wood, bone, horn, stone, claws, and teeth of animals, 
or shells. Those made of various species of the latter predomi- 
nate, the marine shells, such as the Busycon, Marginella, Oliva, 
Fasciolaria, and many other genera (usually univalves) being 
the most common. The prehistoric people of Arizona, New 
Mexico, Utah, and Colorado employed, in the decoration of their 
persons, at least two genera, of which several species were dis- 
covered by the photographic division of Hayden’s United States 
Geological Survey. 
All the bead ornaments found in this section of the West may 
be classed under four heads : — 
I. Shells. 
