Fifthly, an egg is rolled up in a leaf and blown into ; it is then held
up to the'ears, after which the egg is taken out of the leaf and placed upon
the palm of the hand. The question in hand is determined by the eggs
standing on an end on the palm of its own accord. These last two
methods are but seldom resorted to and are therefore not in common use.
The two most important methods and those recognized by all Kachins are
that by leaf and bamboo.
The entrails of cattle and pigs as well as the bones of the wings auu
legs and head of fowls are examined not for the purpose of forecasting
the future, but rather to determine whether the offering made is acceptable
to the nat.
(3) The Dumsa wa or priest is a man who has learned the dumsa ga,
or language used in addressing the nats. The language is a kind of
poetical parallelism in which the nats are invoked to accept the offermg
made and restore health and blessings. His rank as a priest is determined



( iS8 )

by the progress be has made in committing to memory the various posts
used in addressing the nats when offering eggs, dried fish, fowls, pigs or
buffaloes. Ordinarily he dresses as other Kachins do, but when addressing
Mu nat or the Madai nat he wears a long gown and a hat decorated with
feathers of birds and boars' tusks.
