HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY. 389 
apparently through the agency of birds that feed freely on the ripe 
berries. The berries formerly were eaten raw and dried for winter 
use, yet they were not consumed so extensively as they now are, 
because of their high acidity. Since the advent of the white man 
the more civilized Indians have learned to add sugar and make pies out 
of them; also to preserve them in cans, and even to make jelly of 
them. They are pronounced to be ‘‘awful nice to eat.” 
Nearly every household is provided with a quantity of dried elder- 
berry blossoms which are used medicinally for several purposes. A 
decoction is used externally as a lotion for sprains and bruises, and in 
fevers; also as an antiseptic wash for the itch, and for open sores in 
domestic animals. It is used internally by the Little Lake Indians to 
stop bleeding from the lungs in consumption, and is particularly valued 
by the Potter Valley and Yokia Indians to allay stomach troubles. 
A decoction of the leaves is used toa less extent as an antiseptic wash. 
The inner bark is a strong emetic, but is seldom used. 
The wood contains a large quantity of pith, which was formerly used 
as an easily combustible material for starting a fire by means of a 
knife and a piece of flint. The soft wood was also used to some 
extent as a twirling stick in the process of making fire by friction. 
After the pith is removed the wood is used in making syringes or 
“squirt guns,” for whistles, occasionally for flutes, and very commonly 
as the material of an instrument used at dances for making a clapping 
sound. This consists simply of two half cylinders of the wood which 
are fastened together at one end. It is used by striking the free ends 
against the leg or in the palm of the hand. Other woods, especially 
the Chinese bamboo, are used for the same purpose. 
In folklore, the bush figures with some of the Concow Indians as a 
cure for warts. These people do not treat the wart with the juice of 
the poison oak, according to the custom of some other tribes, but 
merely cut the wart and hold the hand or a finger for some time on 
the ground at the base of the bush. It is looked upon as a perfect 
cure. 
The different parts of the elder are used so extensively that it was 
an easy matter to secure a considerable number of Indian names for it. 
Among the Wailakis the tree is known as ch/n-sdk', the Concows call 
it na-kam-hée-in'-é, the Yokias bd-tée’ (Ada-/a', tree), the Calpellas, Pot- 
ter Valleys, and Little Lakes A/¢-¢@ (bu-k7’, berry). The last-named 
tribe also call the berries ga-li’ bu-hv. 
Symphoricarpos racemosus Michx. 
Bu-kwal’ (Yokia and Little Lake of Round Vailey).—The slender, 
branched shrub commonly called snowberry, which grows in great 
abundance on level land throughout the county. The common name 
is given to the plant on account of the white waxy berries which 
