Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/106

] Fork. In frying doughnuts it is necessary to have some instrument with which to remove them from the fat. A slender sharpened rod of arrowwood is used for this purpose (fig. 14, a).

Ladle. Ladles are said to be of recent introduction, the Pimas having obtained them from the Papagos, who in turn had derived the art of making them from the Mexicans. They are commonly made of mesquite, though the Papagos make them of paloverde wood. The bowls are not rounded, but are made in the shape of a flattened cone, as they can be more readily worked into that form with a straight-bladed knife.

Pottery paddle. A paddle of cottonwood is used to shape the outer surface of pottery. It is hollowed to fit the convex surface of the vessel, and is now frequently made from a barrel stave, which has the proper curvature. The paddles are of varying sizes, according to the sizes of the vessels on which they are used, but the handles are always proportionately short.

Shelves. There is a class of objects that are used indifferently for doors of sheds and houses, for shelves that are suspended in the arbors, and for bird traps. They are usually made of large arrowbush rods, which are quite straight and of uniform diameter. The rods are tied to cross pieces, as shown in figure 16, a, or are held by twisted cords of hide, as in figure 16, b. The latter specimen was