HENDERSON ar r r ah Ng r Rawal 
aga ETHNOZOOLOGY OF THE TEWA INDIANS 7 
It was hoped to do a large amount of ethnozoologic work while in 
the field. Unforeseen circumstances prevented this except for a few 
hours of the last two days of the field season. Mr. Harrington, how- 
ever, was able to do some independent work along that line in con- 
nection with his regular studies of the language of the Tewa. The 
Indian names given are in the San Juan dialect of the Tewa language, 
except where otherwise stated. The greater part of the discussion 
of methods in ethnobotany in Bulletin 55 applies with equal force 
to ethnozoology and needs not be repeated here. 
Most of the animal names were obtained by exhibiting specimens 
to several Indians, including some of the older men of the tribe. 
Where specimens in hand were not available, care was taken to make 
sure of the identity of the animals named; this was easy, of course, in 
ease of such readily described animals as the porcupine. In a few 
cases it was considered safe to use good colored plates figuring easily 
identified species; but wherever possible specimens in hand were 
exhibited and also the same species alive in their natural habitat. 
Where there is a question as to identity the name is either omitted 
or the doubt is expressed. It is always best to show informants also 
specimens of all species in the region which closely resemble one 
another and discover whether they really definitely distinguish them, 
and, if so, how. Care should always be taken not to suggest to them 
the answer to inquiries. 
It is frequently said by unthinking or uninformed persons, who 
know something of the Indians’ intimate knowledge of some phases 
of nature, that the American Indians know and have names for every 
species of plant and animal living in their vicinity. Inasmuch as 
some microscopic forms exist everywhere and as many macroscopic 
forms of invertebrates, as some insects, crustaceans, and mollusks, 
can be distinguished only by microscopic characters, the incorrect- 
ness of that idea is evident. The Indians are usually correct in dis- 
tinguishing the larger and better-marked species of birds and mam- 
mals, but they certainly do not recognize some of the minute differ- 
ences which are of more importance than some of those more easily 
observed. They distinguish species more closely than the average 
white man who has not had zoologic training. Though several species 
of jackrabbits and several cottontails inhabit the region over which 
these Indians have roamed, they seem to recognize but one species of 
each. However, the majority of white men could not do more. The 
Pueblo Indians who claim the Jemez Plateau as the home of their 
ancestors are agriculturists, not hunters, though they do some hunt- 
ing, of course, just as white farmers do. It would be interesting and 
important to make a thorough comparative study of the knowledge 
of natural history possessed by agricultural tribes and hunting tribes: 
69231°—Bull. 56—14——2 
