Fig. 1.—Luzon Negrito bow, from the R. F. Barton private collection; made of palma brava. When drawn 28 inches it pulls 56 pounds and shoots 176 yards.
The nearest arrow is a bird arrow, from the same tribe. The two other arrows are Melanesian fish arrows without feathers; Museum numbers 11-26, 11-332.
Fig. 2.—Northern Wintun bow and arrows. A reflexed, sinew-backed, yew bow, too fragile to test. At the nocks it is bound with fur, apparently weasel. This device is used to act as a damper to the string so that it makes no noise when the bow is shot. It is said that Geronimo could shoot an arrow with absolute silence. Probably some similar method was employed. Arrows fledged with owl feathers make little or no noise in flight, and although the plumage from this bird seems to have been avoided by the American savage, it is possible that the unholy intent suggested by the necessity of a silent shot in the dark may have warranted such employment. Bow, 2-6813, arrows, 1-4484.
Fig. 3.—Cliff dweller bow from a cave in Colorado. It is probably one of the oldest bows in America. The wood is juniper or cedar. The actual weight is 350 grammes. It probably did not pull more than 50 pounds. 2-3342.
The two arrows found with this bow are made of reed, having a hard wood foreshaft tipped with flint heads. Their weight is 20 grammes or 320 grains. Their general characteristics are those of the Northern California Indian arrows of today. 2-3338, 2-3339.