494 ANNALS NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



SECTION OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY. 



October 26, 1908. 



Section met in conjunction with the American Ethnological Society at 

 8:15 P. M., General Wilson presiding. 

 The following program was offered: 



R. H. Lowie, An Ethnological Trip to the Chipewayan Indians. 

 Paul Radin, An Ethnological Trip to the Winnebago Indians. 



SuM^L'^RY OF Papers. 



Dr. Lowie briefly described the experiences of a summer expedition under 

 the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History. He first visited 

 the Chipewayan Indians of Lake Athabasca, who present a curious mixture 

 of primitiveness and civilization. Essentially primitive in their economic 

 life, subsisting primarily by fishing and the chase, they have become funda- 

 mentally modified in both industrial and mental life by the overshadowing 

 influence of the Hudson's Bay Company and the CathoHc missionaries. A 

 very different condition was found among the Assiniboine of Montana, who, 

 though largely devoted to agricultural pursuits under the United States 

 government, preserve to a considerable extent the essential characteristics 

 of Indian belief and religious practice. The speaker described their cere- 

 monial organization, which presents many homologies to the military 

 societies of other Plains tribes. 



Mr. Radin stated that the Winnebago Indians had lost most of their 

 native industries; they live now in frame houses; they retain only three of 

 their dances; they have no clan ceremonial, though they still give clan 

 names and recognize the "upper" or "heavenly" clans and the "lower" or 

 "earthly" clans. The myths regarding the origins of the clans have much 

 similarity to one another. Only the thunder bird and the bear clans seem 

 to have had any special functions. The bear clan comprised the warriors 

 and had the right of punishment. There are set names for the children, 

 w^hich must be given in every family. Taboo exists against the maternal 

 aunt, but the opposite is in force towards the paternal uncle. 



The Section then adjourned. 



R. S. WOODWORTH, 



Secretary. 



