AHORTGINAL AMERICAN EASKETRY. 481 



another, g-eometrical patterns are produced. As the vrork ^vidcns, 

 new rows are introduced, as will he seen in the ])rincipal tij^ure. 



This specimen Catalogue No. 21558(>, in the IT. S. National Museum, 

 is a o-ift from C. V. Wilcoml), of California. 



Mr. McLeod. who has the largest collection of th<> grasshopper 

 baskets, says of them that the}^ have no such function. They are all 

 made by two families, the Butterbread and the Williams living in 

 Kelsey Canyon, Kern County, California. Tiio sewing and wrapping 

 are faultless. The ornamentation is chiefly in plain lines and rec- 

 taiigl(\s. On one of them, fig. 10, the chevroned design is attcMupted 

 with d()ul)tful success, but figs. 2 and 8 have the stepped radial pat- 

 terns well carried out, and on fig. r) the human conventional figure is 

 cleverly executed. (See Plate 19(3.) 



Mission Indian basket makers belong to the Shoshonean and Yuman 

 families. They receive their several names fi-om the Franciscan mis- 

 sions of southern California, into which they were gathered, and where 

 their tribal identity was lost. In the pi'esent state of knowledge it is 

 not possible to distinguish the linguistic family by tlu^ shape, technic, 

 or designs of basketry. 



The material of Mission Indian baskets differs according to locality. 

 A rush, proI)a]dy several species, is used for the sewing-, the best 

 known to Mr. Coville is Juiichs IrKiwril, the Techahet Indians using it 

 almost exclusively. This plant is collected and dried, and what are 

 often thought to be brushes by strangers are merely bunches of this 

 rush prepared for the weaver's use. A tall, thin grass, ]7//}/ r/yens^ is 

 used as the body of the coil, about which pieces of the Jwto/s are 

 wound. Such of the latter as are intended for ornamentation are 

 dyed black b\' steeping in water portions of Sut'dtf, dlff'Hxn, and a rich 

 yellowish brown is produced in a like manner from the plants Ddlea 

 emoryi and Dalca pohjadeuui. . The bottoms of large baskets are often 

 strengthened l)y the introduction of twigs of RJhus arovudlea or thvee- 

 leaf sumac. Dr. Merriam finds that latterly the leaf of a jmlm {Xrn- 

 iva><Ji! iKjfonId jilainentosa) is used for sewing. The work resembles 

 that done in rafia. 



In beginning a basket a central foundation is made and the rush 

 wound al)Out it and coiled, fastened ))y fibers passing through holes 

 made for the purpose with a point(Kl l)one or metal awl. This is the 

 commonest method employed. 



To assist the student in understanding {\\e relationship of arts in 

 southern California, the following account of tril)es from Dr. Barrows 

 will be helpful. The Indian tribes south of Santa Inez Mountains on 

 the coast and San Joaquin Valley in the interior fall into three divi- 

 sions: (1) Tril)es of Santa Barl)ai'a channels and islands covering the 

 coast of Ventura County; (2) Serranos; (3) Coahuillas. 

 NAT MUS 1902 31 



