one custom in vogue among some of the prairie tribes of Indians, to which my attention was called by Dr. J. Owen Dorsey,[82] should be mentioned.  It is a gesture which signifies multiplication, and is performed by throwing the hand to the left.  Thus, after counting 5, a wave of the hand to the left means 50.  As multiplication is rather unusual among savage tribes, this is noteworthy, and would seem to indicate on the part of the Indian a higher degree of intelligence than is ordinarily possessed by uncivilized races.

In the numeral scale as we possess it in English, we find it necessary to retain the name of the last unit of each kind used, in order to describe definitely any numeral employed.  Thus, fifteen, one hundred forty-two, six thousand seven hundred twenty-seven, give in full detail the numbers they are intended to describe.  In primitive scales this is not always considered necessary; thus, the Zamucos express their teens without using their word for 10 at all.  They say simply, 1 on the foot, 2 on the foot, etc.  Corresponding abbreviations are often met; so often, indeed, that no further mention of them is needed.  They mark one extreme, the extreme of brevity, found in the savage method of building up hand, foot, and finger names for numerals; while the Zuni scale marks the extreme of prolixity in the formation of such words.  A somewhat ruder composition than any yet noticed is shown in the numerals of the Vilelo scale,[83] which are: 

   1. agit, or yaagit.
   2. uke.
   3. nipetuei.
   4. yepkatalet.
   5. isig-nisle-yaagit = hand fingers 1.
   6. isig-teet-yaagit = hand with 1.
   7. isig-teet-uke = hand with 2.
   8. isig-teet-nipetuei = hand with 3.
   9. isig-teet-yepkatalet = hand with 4.
  10. isig-uke-nisle = second hand fingers (lit. hand-two-fingers).
  11. isig-uke-nisle-teet-yaagit = second hand fingers with 1.
  20. isig-ape-nisle-lauel = hand foot fingers all.

In the examples thus far given, it will be noticed that the actual names of individual fingers do not appear.  In general, such words as thumb, forefinger, little finger, are not found, but rather the hand-1, 1 on the next, or 1 over and above, which we have already seen, are the type forms for which we are to look.  Individual finger names do occur, however, as in the scale of the Hudson’s Bay Eskimos,[84] where the three following words are used both as numerals and as finger names: 

   8. kittukleemoot = middle finger.
   9. mikkeelukkamoot = fourth finger.
  10. eerkitkoka = little finger.

Words of similar origin are found in the original Jiviro scale,[85] where the native numerals are: 

   1. ala.
   2. catu.
   3. cala.
   4. encatu.
   5. alacoetegladu = 1 hand.
   6. intimutu = thumb (of second hand).
   7. tannituna = index finger.
   8. tannituna cabiasu = the finger next the index finger.
   9. bitin oetegla cabiasu = hand next to complete.
  10. catoegladu = 2 hands.