Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/137

length. The bark is removed by catching it at the middle of the twig in the teeth and raising it far enough to insert the thumbs of both hands between the bark and the wood, and then running the thumbs outward to the ends of the twig. Two such movements suffice to strip the twig, which is then split into three or four strips at the smaller end with the teeth and the splitting carried to the other end of the twig by careful manipulation with both hands, so that the strips may be as even as possible. These strips are kept in coils, which are from 10 to 15 cm. in diameter (fig. 57, a). Willow bark is also used in basketry, both alone (cradle shields) and in conjunction with other materials (grain baskets).