« The manufacture of woven hare skin blankets by Indians of the Mistassini and Lake St. John bands is described in detail by Speck (1930, pp. 451-454), Lips (1947, pp. 42, 44), and Rogers (1967, p. 64, fig. 8, p. 40). Speck (1930, p. 454) notes that 100 skins were required for a blanket, while Rogers (1967, p. 64) states that a large blanket to be used by three people might comprise twice that many skins. These blankets were woven of narrow, twisted strips of hare skin on a three-pole frame by a coil netting technique in which the strip of skin was conveyed by a wooden or bone needle. The Speck collection contains two examples. The smaller, in poor condition, measures approximately 165 by 145 cm. The larger measures 220 by 152 cm and has short cloth ties at the four corners. It may have been worn as a robe. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.17.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6 ). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « Two specimens in the collection were associated with attempts to control the wind. A moose astragalus buzzer with an attached string of babiche was operated to make the wind rise (fig. 32f). A fragment of dried woodchuck scalp was thrown into a lake to make the wind go down. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « A beaver's patella, of which there is a single specimen in the collection, was used in a form of moving divination. The bone was placed on a hot stove or stone and a question was asked, usually with reference to the possibility of success in a coming beaver hunt. If the bone trembled, success was assured, but game would be scarce if the bone did not move (Speck, 1935, pp. 162-163). Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « Divination was also practiced with other animal bones. The collection contains two beaver pelvic bones that were used in divination by touch. To learn the outcome of the next hunt, the hunter held the bone over his head and attempted, without looking, to put his finger in the oval opening (Speck, 1935, pp. 160-161; Tanner, 1979, p. 128). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « A single pair of otter's feet was used in a tossing-up divination, usually with reference to otter hunting. The two feet, placed facing each other palm to palm, were tossed into the air. If they came down with the feet facing up, it was considered good, while the reverse was believed to indicate bad luck. A moderate amount of good luck could be expected if one foot came down one way and the other the opposite way (Speck, 1935, pp. 165-167). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « Scapulimancy with the bones of a variety of animals, especially beaver and hare, along with the three examples of burned scapulae in the collection, apparently those of sheep, are described and illustrated by Speck (1935, pp. 144-145). These scapulae were burned and interpreted by an informant at Speck's request. The pattern of lines on the first scapula (fig. 32b) were said to denote the approach of trouble; those on the second (fig. 32a), the return of good fortune after bad luck; and the third (fig. 32c) a sign of good luck in the form of monetary gain. The latter two scapulae have broken in the burned areas since they were illustrated by Speck (1935, p. 145, fig. 14b-c). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19, fig 32a (p.60).

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « Scapulimancy with the bones of a variety of animals, especially beaver and hare, along with the three examples of burned scapulae in the collection, apparently those of sheep, are described and illustrated by Speck (1935, pp. 144-145). These scapulae were burned and interpreted by an informant at Speck's request. The pattern of lines on the first scapula (fig. 32b) were said to denote the approach of trouble; those on the second (fig. 32a), the return of good fortune after bad luck; and the third (fig. 32c) a sign of good luck in the form of monetary gain. The latter two scapulae have broken in the burned areas since they were illustrated by Speck (1935, p. 145, fig. 14b-c). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19, fig 32c (p.60).

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19. « Scapulimancy with the bones of a variety of animals, especially beaver and hare, along with the three examples of burned scapulae in the collection, apparently those of sheep, are described and illustrated by Speck (1935, pp. 144-145). These scapulae were burned and interpreted by an informant at Speck's request. The pattern of lines on the first scapula (fig. 32b) were said to denote the approach of trouble; those on the second (fig. 32a), the return of good fortune after bad luck; and the third (fig. 32c) a sign of good luck in the form of monetary gain. The latter two scapulae have broken in the burned areas since they were illustrated by Speck (1935, p. 145, fig. 14b-c). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.19, fig 32b (p.60).

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » « Two specimens in the collection were associated with attempts to control the wind. A moose astragalus buzzer with an attached string of babiche was operated to make the wind rise (fig. 32f). A fragment of dried woodchuck scalp was thrown into a lake to make the wind go down. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20, fig 32f (p.60).

« Although the hunting of bears was surrounded with more ritual than that of any other animal, there were ritual responsibilities toward others as well. » anstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20. « The loon was an important bird of omen to the hunter and his cries were considered to be an indication of the coming direction and force of the wind (Speck, 1935, p. 126). To placate slain birds, the loon's skull, of which there is one in the collection, was placed in a bush with the mandible set perpendicularly in the nasal opening (fig. 35). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.20, fig 35 (p.63).