halves of the seed. At one end of each string a small bell (ɛɽoɽo [ ˥ ˥ ˥ ]) and some cowries are fastened. The diviner (ɔb-ogwɛga [ ˩ ˥ (4-1) ˩ ]) seizes one end of each string and throws them with the intention of turning them upside down. The subsequent arrange- ment of seeds is then analysed (v. eria [ ˩ ˥ ]) according to a certain code (itie [ ˩ ˥ ]), the criterion being the “open” or “covered” position of the seed-halves. The analysis is said to proceed at first from the right side to the left, and, after that, in the opposite direction, but as if the arrange- ment were looked at from the other end of the strings. The different positions have names, e.g. odĩ [ ˩ ˥ ] is a string with the two outer seed-halves showing their inside, and the two inner halves showing their cover. (Under the headings dealing with these positions, o. will mean “open”, and c. “covered”+, as reckoned from the top of the string.) The names of the positions are: odĩ [ ˩ ˥ ], oɣoi [ ˩ ˩ ] oɽuhu [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], ɔɣae [ ˩ ˥ ], ogbi [ ˥ ˩ ] ako [ ˩ ˥ ], ose [ ˩ ˥ ], ohũ [ ˩ ˥ ] ɛrhoxwa [ ˩ ˥ ˩ ], ɛka [ ˩ ˥ ], ɔkã [ ˩ ˩ ] ɔʋa [ ˩ ˩ ], etuɽɛ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ], ete [ ˩ ˩ ] ɔha [ ˩ ˥ ] and eɣitã [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ]. As the relations of two strings to one another are always considered, these names are usually com- bined, e.g. ɔh-ɔɣae [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ] (ɔha + ɔɣae). If both positions are the same, their name is followed by n-abe [ \ ˩ ] “combined”, e.g. ɔkã n-abe [ ˩ ˩ \ ˩ ]. The “code” of this divination gives a fixed sentence for each of these com- binations, and the task of the |