34 D.VVKXI'ORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



lion, as the circumference increased or diminished, but they successfully 

 accomplished the task, so that they are justly entitled to the reputation 

 of skilled workers in clay. 



All the pottery completed, a smooth piece of ground was selected, ex- 

 posed to the direct rays of the sun, to which the vessels were removed to 

 dry. As the drying proceeded any crack that appeared was filled up by 

 dipping the fingers in thick, muddy water. The pottery was repeatedly 

 turned so as to dry evenly, xlll defects that showed themselves were cor- 

 rected before the burning. Some of the vessels were to be ornamented 

 with paint. This was done during the process of drying, so that it might 

 dry evenly with tlie clay. The artist mixed her paint with water on a 

 flat stone, and made a brush by twisting a piece of cloth from one of the 

 strips of her skirt. The decorations were now applied, consisting of par- 

 allel lines and dots, neatly and regularly made. The painting and drying 

 completed, the next thing was the burning. 



A quantity of wood of even sizes was selected, and laid in two piles 

 and ignited. They arranged the pottery tops downward, so that fire 

 could be put all around and on the tops, causing the heat to be uniform 

 all over. A sharp watch was kept over the burning, so that an even de- 

 gree of heat was applied to all parts of tlft same vessel at the same time. 

 The potters repeatedly examined the vessels by removing the fire with 

 long sticks in order to see that an even burning was being effected. As 

 soon as the pottery was sufficiently burned, the fire was removed and the 

 pots allowed to remain and cool. Vessels made for cooking and for hold- 

 ing water were not glazed, but those to be used for other purposes were. 

 The glazing was done by rubbing salt water over the vessels while warm, 

 and reburning them to set the glazing. 



, These artists, though homely and plainly clad and besmeared with 

 dirt, had performed their work well. Judging them by their works, it 

 must be acknowledged they had done as well as most men and women of 

 the paler and better-to-do race could have done with like materials. 

 Dire necessity and compulsion would be necessary to compel most of us 

 to attempt the task. Considering the beauty of the pottery, its sym- 

 metry of form, quality of workmanship, the rude tools, the kind of ma- 

 terials used, and also that necessity had been their only teacher, these 

 female artists, though Indians, had, by their works, proven themselves 

 heroines in domestic art, challenging competition by either sex of Amer- 

 icans under like conditions. Credit must be given to the female for her 

 good works, let her be of whatsoever race or color. 



December 2d, 1876. — Biological Section. 

 J. D. Putnam in the chair. 

 Six members present. 



In answer to a question from Dr. Pariy, Mr. Hauj)t stated 

 tliat he had found Sarrcbcenia purpurea L. growing in a bog on 



