322 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, ]i»02. 



the Salish tribes lia.s beini from the pictorial to the g'cometric. Pro- 

 fessor Farrand finds that the use of animal designs is by no means 

 predominant. This was seen to be true on the Tliidvits also, while 

 the Chilcat (Tlitikit) blanket shows the dissected and distorted motives 

 described by Boas/' 



The list of symbols on the baskets of the lower Thompson Indians 

 is given b}' Mr. James Teit. It is made up of: 



1. Arrowhead pattern (tataza, arrowhead). 



2. Root pattern (mula, a variety of root). 



3. Butterfly pattern (nkikaxeni, ))utterfly). 



4. Star pattern (nkokucen, wtar). 



5. Packing strap pattern (tsupin, packing strap). 



6. Zigzag pattern (skolotz, crooked). 



7. Box pattern (kika, grave box). 



8. Eagle pattern (haMu, eagle). 



Each of these words is compounded with the suffix "aist," pattern; 

 but the lower Thompson also have s3'mbols for snake or snakeskin, 

 snake or snake tracks, rattlesnake tail, grouse or bird tracks, bear 

 foot or l)ear tracks, bird or geese flying, fly, l)eavcr. deer, horse, 

 man, hand, tooth, leaf, shells (dentalia), stone hanuncr, comb, neck- 

 lace, net, root-digger handle, leggings, canoe, trail, stream, lake, 

 mount, air, lightning, and the same is true of other Salishan tribes. 



Plates 74 to 71), reproduce Professor Farrand's figures and the 

 descriptions are from his monograph. -' These illustrations, l)eing most 

 of them in a difficult technical process called imbrication furnish excel- 

 lent studies in mosaic p;ctographs. The elements are all little squares 

 in difl'erent colors, var3"ing from one-eighth to one-quarter inch in 

 dimensions. Much charity is needed in detecting the thing in the 

 symbol. The shark's mouth with its horrid teeth, is rather intensified 

 by the angularity of the design, })ut most of the things represented 

 are hidden in the symbol. 



Plate 74, fig. 1, shows a coiled and imbricated berry basket of the 

 Lillooet Indians, British Columl)ia. It has a pyramidal form, flat 

 foundation in the coils, and the decoration is in two segments or bands. 

 The designs are flies, arrowheads, and half circles {'i). The lower 

 stripes are clusters of flies. Height, 10^ inches; 1 inch = 71 stitches, 

 4i coils. Compare Cat. No. 213585 U.S.N.M. 



Plate 74, fig. 2, shows a twined and overlaid ])asket of the Quinaielt 

 Indians, Washington. Its design represents flounders. Height, 5^ 

 inches; 1 inch = 8 twists, 12 rows of weaving. 



Plate 74, fig. 3, shows a coiled and imbricated basket of the Lillooet 

 Indians, British Coliunbia, with structural elements the same as in 



« The Decorative Art of the Indians of the North Pacifie coast, Bulletin of the 

 American Museum of Natural History, IX, 1897, jip. 123-176. 



''Basketry Designs of the SaHsli Indians, Memoirs of the American Museum of 

 Natural History, II, 1900, pp. 393-399. 



