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there to end your days。 Decretis； reversis et desembarassis virgo potens； clemens； justitiae。 Then write the same words on pieces of paper； fold them up； and place one of them under the door by which the rats are to go forth； and the other on the road which they are to take。 This exorcism should be performed at sunrise。 Some years ago an American farmer was reported to have written a civil letter to the rats； telling them that his crops were short； that he could not afford to keep them through the winter； that he had been very kind to them； and that for their own good he thought they had better leave him and go to some of his neighbours who had more grain。 This document he pinned to a post in his barn for the rats to read。
Sometimes the desired object is supposed to be attained by treating with high distinction one or two chosen individuals of the obnoxious species； while the rest are pursued with relentless rigour。 In the East Indian island of Bali； the mice which ravage the rice…fields are caught in great numbers； and burned in the same way that corpses are burned。 But two of the captured mice are allowed to live； and receive a little packet of white linen。 Then the people bow down before them； as before gods； and let them go。 When the farms of the Sea Dyaks or Ibans of Sarawak are much pestered by birds and insects； they catch a specimen of each kind of vermin （one sparrow； one grasshopper； and so on）； put them in a tiny boat of bark well…stocked with provisions； and then allow the little vessel with its obnoxious passengers to float down the river。 If that does not drive the pests away； the Dyaks resort to what they deem a more effectual mode of accomplishing the same purpose。 They make a clay crocodile as large as life and set it up in the fields； where they offer it food； rice…spirit； and cloth； and sacrifice a fowl and a pig before it。 Mollified by these attentions； the ferocious animal very soon gobbles up all the creatures that devour the crops。 In Albania； if the fields or vineyards are ravaged by locusts or beetles； some of the women will assemble with dishevelled hair； catch a few of the insects； and march with them in a funeral procession to a spring or stream； in which they drown the creatures。 Then one of the women sings； O locusts and beetles who have left us bereaved； and the dirge is taken up and repeated by all the women in chorus。 Thus by celebrating the obsequies of a few locusts and beetles； they hope to bring about the death of them all。 When caterpillars invaded a vineyard or field in Syria； the virgins were gathered； and one of the caterpillars was taken and a girl made its mother。 Then they bewailed and buried it。 Thereafter they conducted the mother to the place where the caterpillars were； consoling her； in order that all the caterpillars might leave the garden。
Chapter 54。 Types of Animal Sacrament。
1。 The Egyptian and the Aino Types of Sacrament
WE are now perhaps in a position to understand the ambiguous behaviour of the Aino and Gilyaks towards the bear。 It has been shown that the sharp line of demarcation which we draw between mankind and the lower animals does not exist for the savage。 To him many of the other animals appear as his equals or even his superiors； not merely in brute force but in intelligence； and if choice or necessity leads him to take their lives； he feels bound； out of regard to his own safety； to do it in a way which will be as inoffensive as possible not merely to the living animal； but to its departed spirit and to all the other animals of the same species； which would resent an affront put upon one of their kind much as a tribe of savages would revenge an injury or insult offered to a tribesman。 We have seen that among the many devices by which the savage seeks to atone for the wrong done by him to his animal victims one is to show marked deference to a few chosen individuals of the species； for such behaviour is apparently regarded as entitling him to exterminate with impunity all the rest of the species upon which he can lay hands。 This principle perhaps explains the attitude； at first sight puzzling and contradictory； of the Aino towards the bear。 The flesh and skin of the bear regularly afford them food and clothing； but since the bear is an intelligent and powerful animal； it is necessary to offer some satisfaction or atonement to the bear species for the loss which it sustains in the death of so many of its members。 This satisfaction or atonement is made by rearing young bears； treating them； so long as they live； with respect； and killing them with extraordinary marks of sorrow and devotion。 So the other bears are appeased； and do not resent the slaughter of their kind by attacking the slayers or deserting the country； which would deprive the Aino of one of their means of subsistence。
Thus the primitive worship of animals conforms to two types； which are in some respects the converse of each other。 On the one hand； animals are worshipped； and are therefore neither killed nor eaten。 On the other hand； animals are worshipped because they are habitually killed and eaten。 In both types of worship the animal is revered on account of some benefit； positive or negative； which the savage hopes to receive from it。 In the former worship the benefit comes either in the positive shape of protection； advice； and help which the animal affords the man； or in the negative shape of abstinence from injuries which it is in the power of the animal to inflict。 In the latter worship the benefit takes the material form of the animal's flesh and skin。 The two types of worship are in some measure antithetical： in the one； the animal is not eaten because it is revered； in the other； it is revered because it is eaten。 But both may be practised by the same people； as we see in the case of the North American Indians； who； while they apparently revere and spare their totem animals； also revere the animals and fish upon which they subsist。 The aborigines of Australia have totemism in the most primitive form known to us； but there is no clear evidence that they attempt； like the North American Indians； to conciliate the animals which they kill and eat。 The means which the Australians adopt to secure a plentiful supply of game appear to be primarily based； not on conciliation； but on sympathetic magic； a principle to which the North American Indians also resort for the same purpose。 Hence； as the Australians undoubtedly represent a ruder and earlier stage of human progress than the American Indians； it would seem that before hunters think of worshipping the game as a means of ensuring an abundant supply of it； they seek to attain the same end by sympathetic magic。 This； again； would showwhat there is good reason for believingthat sympathetic magic is one of the earliest means by which man endeavours to adapt the agencies of nature to his needs。
Corresponding to the two distinct types of animal worship； there are two distinct types of the custom of killing the animal god。 On the one hand； when the revered animal is habitually spared； it is nevertheless killedand sometimes eatenon rare and solemn occasions。 Examples of this custom have been already given and an explanation of them offered。 On the other hand； when the revered animal is habitually killed； the slaughter of any one of the species involves the killing of the god； and is atoned for on the spot by apologies and sacrifices； especially when the animal is a powerful and dangerous one； and； in addition to this ordinary and everyday atonement； there is a special annual atonement； at which a select individual of the species is slain with extraordinary marks of respect and devotion。 Clearly the two types of sacramental killingthe Egyptian and the Aino types； as we may call them for distinctionare liable to be confounded by an observer； and； before we can say to which type any particular example belongs； it is necessary to ascertain whether the animal sacramentally slain belongs to a species which is habitually spared； or to one which is habitually killed by the tribe。 In the former case the example belongs to the Egyptian type of sacrament； in the latter to the Aino type。
The practice of pastoral tribes appears to furnish examples of both types of sacrament。 Pastoral tribes； says Adolf Bastian； being sometimes obliged to sell their herds to strangers who may handle the bones disrespectfully； seek to avert the danger which such a sacrilege would entail by consecrating one of the herd as an object of worship； eating it sacramentally in the family circle with closed doors； and afterwards treating the bones with all the ceremonious respect which； strictly speaking； should be accorded to every head of cattle； but which； being punctually paid to the representative animal； is deemed to be paid to all。 Such family meals are found among various peoples； especially those of the Caucasus。 When amongst the Abchases the shepherds in spring eat their common meal with their loins girt and their staves in their hands； this may be looked upon both as a sacrament and as an oath of mutual help and support。 For the strongest of all oaths is that which is accompanied with the eating of a sacred substance； since the perjured person cannot possibly escape the