Fig. 140.--Armlet of brass, pierced work, ornamented with bands of looped straps, similar to Fig. 139, and two bands of concentric semicircles alternating with Maltese crosses. Around the centre is a band of broken guilloche pattern, forming a transitional link between the guilloche, and a peculiar floral ornament common to Benin art. The representation of European screw-heads forms part of the ornamentation, and raised eyelets alternate with the screw-head ornaments. Fig. 141.--Armlet of copper, ornamented with horizontal human heads of brass. The head-dresses are ornamented with fish-scale pattern, and the hair is combed out straight. The heads alternate with double-coiled mud-fish, resembling Fig. 276, Plate XXXVI. It is not quite easy to understand how this work was done. Both the copper and the brass appear to have been formed by casting. DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXIV. Fig. 142.--Bronze open-mouthed vessel, with six projecting eyelets round the neck, and a handle. Figs. 143 and 144.--Bronze or brass figure of cock, 22 inches high, including pedestal. The feathers are represented in straight and curved lines of hatchings. The pupils of the eyes are inlaid copper, of lozenge-shaped form. The tarsus is unnaturally broad. On the top of the pedestal in front is a Maltese cross, with a band of interlaced strap-work. The sides of the base are ornamented with interlaced strap-work, and representations of three ox's heads are on the front. A fine specimen of barbaric art. Figs. 145 and 146.--Human naked figure of bronze. A large thick plaster covers the whole of the back, and is fastened on with cords round the arms and legs. Mr. H. Ling Roth believes this to represent a cure for cretinism, and says that two larger figures like it have been seen in Benin city. ("Reliquary," Vol. IV, 1898, p. 173.) Figs. 147 and 148.--Two bronze female figures back to back, with one hat, being the handle of one of the swords or wands (see Figs. 202 to 211, Plate XXIX), used by virgins in their dances. There is a large iron pin right through the casting. Figs. 149 and 150.--Bronze head of girl. Three tribal marks incised over each eye; pupils of eyes of iron, inlaid; necklace of agate or coral. Figs. 151 and 152.--Brass vessel, resembling a coffee pot. A human figure sitting in front, out of the mouth of which the spout emerges. The handle at back represents a sinuous snake with the head downwards, like that of Fig. 46, Plate VIII. Bands of fish-scale pattern surround the vessel. DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXV. Figs. 153 and 154.--Carved ivory head of leopard, the spots of lead, inlaid. This resembles in form the bronze ones, Figs. 58-63, Plate X. It is apparently very old.