LILY FAMILY. 827 
which bears 8 or 4 long grass-like leaves and a single robust but suc- 
culent and leafless stem, which in June is graced by a long raceme of 
large blue flowers which are open only at night. This is the largest 
and by all odds the best of all the Indian potatoes, and on account of 
its abundance at Round Valley it is there consumed in much greater 
quantity than all of the other species combined, The plant is incon- 
spicuous in the daytime, but at night whole meadows may be seen to 
he covered with it. The name camas is very seldom used by either 
the Indians or whites. Ae/’-en is the Wailaki name which was given 
to me for the plant by Mr. Frank Youree, of Coyelo, who stated that 
the name Avf-en chow given to an adjoining valley was applied to it 
on account of the gre: it abundance of these plants which were found 
there. This valley is especially noted as a tine hog country. ‘These 
animals fatten better on the bulbs than they do on corn. 
The bulbs are not eaten so much at present as they were in former 
years, but during the specially dry summer of 1898 a great many of 
them were consumed. They are dug up in June or July by squaws 
with a * potato stick.” a simple sharp-pointed instrument made origi- 
nally of mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus), or nowadays of iron, and 
are brought together in varying quantities for roasting or cooking. 
They are sometimes boiled, but the general method as described to me 
by a Yuki squaw is as follows: Several families get together in the 
evening with their supply of the bulbs. A hole of appropriate size 
is dug in the ground and lined with stones. A fire is then built in the 
hole and after it has died down the ashes are thickly covered with pine 
needles. The bulbs are spread upon this, another thick layer of pine 
needles is added, and the whole is well covered with dirt. A small fire 
is kept burning over the hole for the remainder of the night : and all 
next day, when the bulbs are removed and divided among the owners. 
While raw the substance of the bulbs is crisp, white, and very muci- 
laginous, but almost tasteless; when cooked as described above, how- 
ever, they are remarkably sweet, the long baking having evidently 
converted the mucilaginous substance into sugar. 
Great care is exercised in preventing the poisonous bulbs of Zyga- 
denus from becoming mixed with the mess. The two are almost pre- 
cisely alike in general form and appearance. 
Wéi-chék! and chi-ds' are two other names less frequently used for 
the plant by the Yukis; //-¢é’ is the Pomo name. A very similar 
bulb is ealled Jam'-ché by the Little Lake Indians. It is described as 
flowerless and as being very bitter when raw, 
Triteleia laxa Benth. 
Tela’ bé (Little Lake).—The most abundant and w idespread of all 
the Indian potatoes (tig. 70). It grows in fields, especially on the 
hills, and is known as the ‘highland potato.” In one clump observed 
