Pair of men’s moose hide mittens, tied together by wool cord. Mittens are long, with beaver fur edging at cuff and wrist. A panel between the two is made of black felt, embroidered on top surface with bright flowers and vines in red and light blue, with a pink bow. Flowers and foliage in a slightly different pattern have been applied to each hand on the hide, in purple, dark blue and red. Woolen neck string is made of braided white, blue, green and red strands of wool, with large pompoms. It is attached to each mitten on the inner side at top.

« 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 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. « Although the hunting of bears was surrounded with more ritual than that of any other animal, there were ritual responsibilities toward others as well. The skulls of beavers were elevated (Speck, 1935, p. 114) and the collection contains three beaver mandibles which were taken from bushes where they had been placed to placate the spirits of slain beavers. » 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.