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the first halibut of the season is carefully handled and addressed as a chief； and a festival is given in his honour； after which the fishing goes on。 In spring； when the winds blow soft from the south and the salmon begin to run up the Klamath river； the Karoks of California dance for salmon； to ensure a good catch。 One of the Indians； called the Kareya or God…man； retires to the mountains and fasts for ten days。 On his return the people flee； while he goes to the river； takes the first salmon of the catch； eats some of it； and with the rest kindles the sacred fire in the sweating house。 No Indian may take a salmon before this dance is held； nor for ten days after it； even if his family are starving。 The Karoks also believe that a fisherman will take no salmon if the poles of which his spearing…booth is made were gathered on the river…side； where the salmon might have seen them。 The poles must be brought from the top of the highest mountain。 The fisherman will also labour in vain if he uses the same poles a second year in booths or weirs； because the old salmon will have told the young ones about them。 There is a favourite fish of the Aino which appears in their rivers about May and June。 They prepare for the fishing by observing rules of ceremonial purity； and when they have gone out to fish； the women at home must keep strict silence or the fish would hear them and disappear。 When the first fish is caught he is brought home and passed through a small opening at the end of the hut； but not through the door； for if he were passed through the door； the other fish would certainly see him and disappear。 This may partly explain the custom observed by other savages of bringing game in certain cases into their huts； not by the door； but by the window； the smoke…hole； or by a special opening at the back of the hut。
With some savages a special reason for respecting the bones of game； and generally of the animals which they eat； is a belief that； if the bones are preserved； they will in course of time be reclothed with flesh； and thus the animal will come to life again。 It is； therefore； clearly for the interest of the hunter to leave the bones intact since to destroy them would be to diminish the future supply of game。 Many of the Minnetaree Indians believe that the bones of those bisons which they have slain and divested of flesh rise again clothed with renewed flesh； and quickened with life； and become fat； and fit for slaughter the succeeding June。 Hence on the western prairies of America； the skulls of buffaloes may be seen arranged in circles and symmetrical piles； awaiting the resurrection。 After feasting on a dog； the Dacotas carefully collect the bones； scrape； wash； and bury them； partly； as it is said； to testify to the dog…species； that in feasting upon one of their number no disrespect was meant to the species itself； and partly also from a belief that the bones of the animal will rise and reproduce another。 In sacrificing an animal the Lapps regularly put aside the bones； eyes； ears； heart； lungs； sexual parts （if the animal was a male）； and a morsel of flesh from each limb。 Then； after eating the remainder of the flesh； they laid the bones and the rest in anatomical order in a coffin and buried them with the usual rites； believing that the god to whom the animal was sacrificed would reclothe the bones with flesh and restore the animal to life in Jabme…Aimo； the subterranean world of the dead。 Sometimes； as after feasting on a bear； they seem to have contented themselves with thus burying the bones。 Thus the Lapps expected the resurrection of the slain animal to take place in another world； resembling in this respect the Kamtchatkans； who believed that every creature； down to the smallest fly； would rise from the dead and live underground。 On the other hand； the North American Indians looked for the resurrection of the animals in the present world。 The habit； observed especially by Mongolian peoples； of stuffing the skin of a sacrificed animal； or stretching it on a framework； points rather to a belief in a resurrection of the latter sort。 The objection commonly entertained by primitive peoples to break the bones of the animals which they have eaten or sacrificed may be based either on a belief in the resurrection of the animals； or on a fear of intimidating other creatures of the same species and offending the ghosts of the slain animals。 The reluctance of North American Indians and Esquimaux to let dogs gnaw the bones of animals is perhaps only a precaution to prevent the bones from being broken。
But after all the resurrection of dead game may have its inconveniences； and accordingly some hunters take steps to prevent it by hamstringing the animal so as to prevent it or its ghost from getting up and running away。 This is the motive alleged for the practice by Koui hunters in Laos； they think that the spells which they utter in the chase may lose their magical virtue； and that the slaughtered animal may consequently come to life again and escape。 To prevent that catastrophe they therefore hamstring the beast as soon as they have butchered it。 When an Esquimau of Alaska has killed a fox； he carefully cuts the tendons of all the animal's legs in order to prevent the ghost from reanimating the body and walking about。 But hamstringing the carcase is not the only measure which the prudent savage adopts for the sake of disabling the ghost of his victim。 In old days； when the Aino went out hunting and killed a fox first； they took care to tie its mouth up tightly in order to prevent the ghost of the animal from sallying forth and warning its fellows against the approach of the hunter。 The Gilyaks of the Amoor River put out the eyes of the seals they have killed； lest the ghosts of the slain animals should know their slayers and avenge their death by spoiling the seal…hunt。
Besides the animals which primitive man dreads for their strength and ferocity； and those which he reveres on account of the benefits which he expects from them； there is another class of creatures which he sometimes deems it necessary to conciliate by worship and sacrifice。 These are the vermin that infest his crops and his cattle。 To rid himself of these deadly foes the farmer has recourse to many superstitious devices； of which； though some are meant to destroy or intimidate the vermin； others aim at propitiating them and persuading them by fair means to spare the fruits of the earth and the herds。 Thus Esthonian peasants； in the island of Oesel； stand in great awe of the weevil； an insect which is exceedingly destructive to the grain。 They give it a fine name； and if a child is about to kill a weevil they say； Don't do it； the more we hurt him； the more he hurts us。 If they find a weevil they bury it in the earth instead of killing it。 Some even put the weevil under a stone in the field and offer corn to it。 They think that thus it is appeased and does less harm。 Amongst the Saxons of Transylvania； in order to keep sparrows from the corn； the sower begins by throwing the first handful of seed backwards over his head； saying； That is for you； sparrows。 To guard the corn against the attacks of leaf…flies he shuts his eyes and scatters three handfuls of oats in different directions。 Having made this offering to the leaf…flies he feels sure that they will spare the corn。 A Transylvanian way of securing the crops against all birds； beasts； and insects； is this： after he has finished sowing； the sower goes once more from end to end of the field imitating the gesture of sowing； but with an empty hand。 As he does so he says； I sow this for the animals； I sow it for every thing that flies and creeps； that walks and stands； that sings and springs； in the name of God the Father； etc。 The following is a German way of freeing a garden from caterpillars。 After sunset or at midnight the mistress of the house； or another female member of the family； walks all round the garden dragging a broom after her。 She may not look behind her； and must keep murmuring； Good evening； Mother Caterpillar； you shall come with your husband to church。 The garden gate is left open till the following morning。
Sometimes in dealing with vermin the farmer aims at hitting a happy mean between excessive rigour on the one hand and weak indulgence on the other； kind but firm； he tempers severity with mercy。 An ancient Greek treatise on farming advises the husbandman who would rid his lands of mice to act thus： Take a sheet of paper and write on it as follows： 'I adjure you； ye mice here present； that ye neither injure me nor suffer another mouse to do so。 I give you yonder field' （here you specify the field）； 'but if ever I catch you here again； by the Mother of the Gods I will rend you in seven pieces。' Write this； and stick the paper on an unhewn stone in the field before sunrise； taking care to keep the written side up。 In the Ardennes they say that to get rid of rats you should repeat the following words： Erat verbum； apud Deum vestrum。 Male rats and female rats； I conjure you； by the great God； to go out of my house； out of all my habitations； and to betake yourselves to such and such a place； there to end your days。 Decretis； reversis et desembarassis virgo potens； clemens； justitiae。 Then w