1902.] Dixon, Basketry Designs of California Indians. 25 



the designs of these several stocks, there remain certain 

 generalizations which may be made from the material as 

 a whole. It will be apparent, even from the most casual 

 observation of the designs here shown, that there are a num 

 ber of instances in which members of two or more different 

 stocks have used the same design, or designs but very slightly 

 differing from one another, sometimes with the same, some 

 times with different meanings. Questions, therefore, very 

 naturally arise as to the extent to which this goes, whether 

 it is due to borrowing or to independent origin, and, if to 

 borrowing, between which tribes the borrowing has been 

 most extensive. 



If the different designs here shown be tabulated without 

 reference to the meanings offered for them, we find that there 

 are really surprisingly few exact coincidences between tribe 

 and tribe. Overlooking minor variations in form and arrange 

 ment, it is only the so-called " arrow-point, " the linked paral 

 lelograms (variously explained as earth worm, wood, excrement, 

 etc.), the crossing trails, and perhaps the hour-glass figure 

 (known variously as pine-cone, moth, spool, etc.), which can 

 be said to be found among all or most of the stocks here dis 

 cussed. The quail-tip may, perhaps, be added to these, and 

 probably the feather; but beyond these there are none which 

 are of very wide distribution. It is noticeable, also, that it 

 is only in the case of the quail-tip and arrow-point that the 

 meaning of these more or less common designs is the same in 

 different stocks. Except for the cases just noted, the chief ex 

 amples of identity or similarity occur, as would be expected, 

 between contiguous stocks. Thus the Southern Maidu show 

 some points of similarity with the Moquelumnian stock, 

 which, in its turn, seems allied to the Mariposan stock 

 bordering it to the south. On the north, the Pit Rivers and 

 Maidu seem to have some designs in common, especially if 

 we admit as Maidu the two or three baskets of somewhat 

 doubtful provenience, to which reference has already been 

 made. The Pit Rivers, in their turn, show unmistakable 

 relations with the Klamath Indians farther north. The 

 Wintun, at least as far as at present studied, seem to be more 



