1902.] Dixon, Basketry Designs of CatffVt mtirTndians. I 7 



Even in the limited area so far studied, it is noticeable that 

 in one or two cases, if not more, the same design receives a 

 different explanation from different individuals, which is con 

 trary to the rather remarkable uniformity of explanation 

 among the Maidu, over considerable areas. In the nature 

 of the designs there seems to be, perhaps, a slightly greater 

 tendency toward conventionalization than is to be seen 

 among the Maidu, and, as compared with these in the matter 

 of the number of designs on the basket, there is a marked in 

 crease in the tendency to use several designs instead of one. 



From the foregoing, it would seem that, as a group, the 

 designs in use by this stock are characterized by a considerable 

 variety and number (falling considerably short of the Maidu, 

 however, in this regard), by the marked frequency of animal 

 designs (absence of snake designs) and the equally marked 

 infrequency of plant designs, by the considerable variation of 

 some designs within small areas, by a greater tendency toward 

 grouping several designs on a single basket, and, while prefer 

 ring the spiral or zigzag arrangement, varying this with that 

 in vertical and radial lines. 



WINTUN. The Copehan stock, to which these Indians be 

 long, occupies that portion of the Sacramento Valley lying 

 west of the river, from the mouth to the neighborhood of 

 Redding, north of. which it spreads considerably to the east, 

 occupying all the head-waters of the river, and extending 

 westward into the region of the Upper Trinity. The stock 

 thus covers a large area, and is the western neighbor of both 

 Maidu and Pit River peoples. As in the case of the latter, 

 the art of making coiled basketry seems not to be practised 

 by the Indians of the Copehan stock, at least not by the Wintun 

 branch. The designs here shown 1 are probably but a portion 

 of those in existence. Grouping them as far as possible into 

 classes, we have, 



i. Animal Designs. On Plate XXIII, Fig. i, we have for 

 the body of the design the bent elbow, and about the base 

 arrow-points. It is probable that the points on the bent 



1 The baskets here figured were obtained in the vicinity of the Sacramento River, 

 in the region above Red Bluff. 



\ January ^ 1902] 2 



