I Ioii man on Imiiau Bird Names. 



feel confident that certain Orioles' nests that I liaye seen in the 

 misseltoe of the oaks, and others pendant from the oak boughs 

 themselves, are. from their general character, those of the species 

 in question. 



BIRD NAMES OF THE SEL1SH, PAH-UTA AND 

 SHOSHON1 INDIANS. 



BY W. j. HOFFMAN. M. I). 



Most of the data herewith submitted were obtained from the 

 Selish. or Flathead. Indians, in Western Montana, who occupy a 

 fertile region known as the Jocko Valley, which is bounded on 

 the west by the Rocky Mountains. Other information was also 

 obtained from the Pah-Uta Indians in the vicinity of Pyramid 

 Eake. Nevada ; from the Uta Indians of Los Pinos, Colorado. 

 and the Shoshoni at Fort Hall. Idaho. 



To obtain the names of birds from any aboriginal tribe is no 

 slight task. The living specimen, of any given species, may be 

 very familiar to them, but should the dead specimen be presented 

 for identification, there is uncertainty and doubt, and frequently 

 it will be impossible for the collector to receive any but a generic 

 term, if even that. The reason for this is, that Indians, while 

 close observers regarding flight, habits, or \oice of the bird, are 

 at a loss unless they kill a species and instantly pronounce their 

 decision, the association of their own name with it being based 

 upon one of these peculiarities. Some marked genera are readilv 

 identified by all the members of the tribe : and even species have 

 peculiarities in color-markings, the shape of the bill. legs. etc.. so 

 that one may not always find the difficulties referred to. 



There does not appear to be a division of birds, among any of 

 our tribes, into Land Birds and Water Birds. But, on the 

 contrary, there is a distinction between large birds and sinall 

 birds. The latter are called tsin-ka'-la by the Dakota : si-su' by 

 the Washo : nu-tsi-pa* by the Pah-Uta : and /m'-zcits by the Uta. 

 These names include even the Grouse and Wild Turkey, but 

 should raptorial birds be referred to. though smaller than the last- 



