Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 1.djvu/62

 results in the compounding of several mechanisms or methods into one. (See plate I.)

THE FIRST METHOD OF CAPTURE

In all the areas mentioned the simplest and easiest method of obtaining animals and animal products is with the hand. In all of them there is some form of animal life or production which the Indian might have by simply reaching forth to take it in the same way that he gathers the fruits of plants, frequently eating forthwith what he has obtained. Indeed, many of these methods of harvesting animal life have been prolonged into civilization. We are accustomed every day to eat or to utilize, in some way, molluscan life, to hunt cochineal, bird eggs, turtle eggs, and other materials, which have been procured by simply taking them up. From this most simple operation, which is practiced in common with our friends the animals, the taking by hand passes through a series of operations which become more and more difficult and require greater and greater skill. All parts of the body are laid under tribute. The man cannot fly, but he must learn to run, climb, swim, dive, go stealthily, becoming the apt pupil of the natural pedagogs, the animals.

These operations may be arranged in some such series as the following:


 * 1) Taking up and using on the spot.
 * 2) Gathering and carrying away to consume.
 * 3) Selecting and differentiating for use.
 * 4) Pursuing and capturing.
 * 5) Climbing and capturing.
 * 6) Swimming and capturing.
 * 7) Diving.
 * 8) Stealing upon.
 * 9) Deceiving.
 * 10) Maiming and killing in capture.

In all of these methods skill and prowess are required. Much knowledge concerning the mental processes of the animals themselves is attained, but this will be discussed in a future section.