_Bracelets._--The women all wear bracelets, which are sometimes
strings of beads, but more commonly circles of iron, brass, or copper
wire, of which several are often worn on the same wrist, after the
fashion of bangles. The men also sometimes wear bracelets. These
consist of circles of narrow thong, upon which are strung one or two
large beads or a couple of Dentalium shells (pû´tû).[N270]
[Footnote N270: There is in the collection a bunch of five of
these shells (No. 89530 [1357], which are scarce and highly valued
as ornaments. Mr. R. E. C. Stearns, of the U. S. National Museum,
has identified the species as Dentalium Indianorum Cpr. (probably
= _D. pretiosum_, Sby.), called “alĭkotci´k” by the Indians of
northwest California, and “hiqua” (J. K. Lord) or “hya-qua”
(F. Whymper) by the Indians round Queen Charlotte Sound.]
We brought home one pair of men’s bracelets (newly made), one of which
(89388 [1355]) is figured in Point Barrow Rept. Ethnology, Pl. I,
Fig. 4. They are made of strips of seal thong 0.2 inch broad, bent
into rings (9.4 and 8.6 inches in circumference, respectively), with
the ends slightly overlapping and sewed together. On each is strung a
cylindrical bead of soapstone about one-half inch long and of the same
diameter. A single bracelet is generally worn.
_Finger-rings._--Both sexes now frequently wear brass finger-rings,
called katû´kqlĕrûñ, from katû´kqlûñ, the middle finger, upon which
the ring is always worn.