Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 1.djvu/72

 Of the seizing, as well as of other methods of capture, there are varieties based on the fact of distance between the hunter and his game.

The first or primitive variety of seizing apparatus is held in the hand without any attachment of the shaft or handle whatsoever. Professor E. Krause mentions the fact that the Lengua Indians in the Gran Chaco, South America, wrap around the hands a band, to which short, hard spines of fish are fastened. As soon as the hand is closed these spines pierce the skin of the game and prevent its slipping away.

The second variety or class is fitted upon the end of a handle or shaft or thong, of varying length, always having at the working end a hook or loop or other device for retrieving (plate II, a).

The third variety is thrown from the hand and has connected with it a retrieving line.

The fourth variety is thrown by means of a throwing-stick or amentum, and is either attached to a retrieving line or is associated with a bow of this class. Many of these retrieving devices, however, are compounded with methods to be discussed later.

The fifth variety of harvesting apparatus of this kind would be discharged from a bow. Associated with the bow will be a retrieving arrow attached to a line by means of which the game may be recovered, as in the Eskimo muskrat arrow.

The most simple kind of taking by hand through devices would be an imitation of the open hand or double palm. The second would imitate the open fingers, used as a rake. The third would take the place of the forefinger or of the bent fingers, acting as hooks. The fourth would act in the way of seizure. All of these pass through grades of evolution or elaboration, becoming more and more complicated as the capture becomes more difficult; and also the classes of inventions herein included will exhibit the varieties of application just mentioned.

As the scarcity of game, even among savages, made the