78 PITTONIA. 
feet. So far as my observation goes, the fruit rarely ripens 
on the mainland before being overtaken by frosts in the 
fall, and how it continues to propagate under the circum- 
stances is a question. On the open hillsides of Annette, 
` Gravina, and Prince of Wales Islands it grows plentifully, 
producing abundant fruit of good flavor, which is highly 
relished by the Tsimsians and Kaigani (Haidas), who eat it 
fresh in great quantities. Both plant and fruit are of much 
smaller growth, however, than in Oregon and Washington. 
FRITILLARI KAMTSCHATCHENSIS, in Tlingit Koon, in 
Tsimsian Kusx-Kum-Tsacicks (Rice of the earth), grows 
abundantly on many of the beaches and occasionally on 
the upland meadows and mountain slopes, where it is, of 
course, more stunted. The rice-like bulbs are still largely 
eaten raw by the natives and occasionally dried for future 
use. ; 
BoscHNIAKIA GLABRA. This weird, uncanny-looking 
plant is comparatively rare in this region; is parasitic on 
the roots of Vaccinium in open woods, both near sea level 
and on the borders of inland lakes. It grows to a height of 
from 2 to 16 inches, is quite slender, and is known to the 
Tlingits under the name of Ass-tlik-nawk. These claim 
that when it is rubbed on a marten trap when first set iD 
the fall it insures the capture of that animal. 
ASPIDIUM SPINULOSIUM var. DILATATUM (Wood-fern) i$ 
abundant in rich open woods near sea level, and the root- 
stock or caudex is highly relished by the natives, who cook 
and eat it in large quantities, it being the first vegetable 
food which they obtain in early spring. The method of 
preparation is as follows: The rootstocks are dug from the 
ground soon after the snow disappears, before the fronds are 
developed, and are trimmed and washed. A round well- 
like hole, 3 feet in diameter and about 23 feet deep, is then 
dug, hot stones are placed in the bottom, or stones are placed a 
