42 TEANSACTIONS OF THE [nOV. 17, 



terns, the simplest being made of splints of bark passing alter- 

 nately over and under each other. Another kind, far more 

 elaborate in construction, is before you. Yet more elaborate ones 

 are made entirely of cords. The first of these I saw was in old 

 Jennie Davenport's wikiup. It was of white and black cords, 

 and the black ones were so manipulated as to form a pattern — a 

 line of human figures stretching across the sack. Jennie would 

 not sell it, as she said "it is a Winnebago woman's sack; Fox 

 woman not make that kind." I found afterward a large variety 

 of these Winnebago sacks, and all were characterized by patterns 

 of men, deer, turtles, or other animals. Not one Fox sack of 

 such pattern was to be found, though many elaborate and beau- 

 tiful geometrical designs were shown me. 



The most beautiful work done on this reservation is the bead- 

 weaving on the ci-bo-hi-kan — woven work, not sewed, remember. 

 In appearance the result is like the Iroquois wampum belts, but 

 the management of the threads is dissimilar. The Sac and Fox 

 patterns are frequently complex and beautiful, but always 

 geometrical. We have seen hundreds of them, but none with 

 life forms. The Winnebago belts, made in exactly the same 

 way, frequently, if not always, present animals or birds or human 

 beings. 



This, it seems to us, is very curious. Here are people of 

 two tribes living side by side, with the same mode of life 

 and the same arts, but in their art designs so diverse. It is 

 a case parallel to that of the old effigy builders, a people who- 

 have a passion for depicting animal forms — a passion not shared 

 by their neighbors. 



If this were the only evidence that the Winnebagoes built the 

 eflBgy mounds, or that their ancestors did so, it would have no 

 great weight. But the claim has been made already on other 

 grounds. This being the case, we think that this adds something 

 to the testimony, and we ask. Have tve here an ethnic survival f 



At the close of the paper Dr. Starr exhibited a number of 

 fine specimens of Indian handiwork, including woven work, 

 bags, belts, etc. 



Dr. Newberry explained that these mounds were not sepul- 

 chral, like many others in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. 

 Geologically speaking,man is very recent. The early inhabitants 

 of America may have originally come from the East, but, if so, 

 they were cut off from that part of the world at a very early date. 

 The development of the tribes in America was complete and far- 

 reaching. Copper and lead mines were worked, the forests re- 



