



1902.] Dixon, Basketry Designs of California Indians. 3 



though it is probable that there are other designs in use by 

 these Indians, the present enumeration may be regarded as 

 fairly complete. Following the plan adopted in the prelimi 

 nary description, the designs found on the baskets may be 

 divided into three groups, according to the object said to be 

 represented: (i) Animal designs, (2) Plant designs, and (3) 

 Designs representing various natural or artificial objects. 



i. Animal Designs. One of the commonest designs on bas 

 kets from all parts of the area occupied by the Maidu is that 

 of the quail, or more properly the quail-tip. The characteristic 

 feature of the bird (the head-plume) is represented by a verti 

 cal line, the end of which is bent at right angles, and somewhat 

 enlarged. On Plate I, Fig. i (Butte County), a very charac 

 teristic form of the design is shown, and a more elaborate 

 form, apparently only found in the southern portion of Maidu 

 territory, is shown in Figs. 2, 3 (Placer County). This design 

 seems to be confined exclusively to baskets of the coiled 

 type. 



Quite rare, and very local in its distribution, is the design 

 known as "duck's wing" (Plate I, Fig. 4, Plumas County). 

 The basket here shown is of considerable age, and is the only 

 example seen of this design, which is said to typify the patch 

 of white seen on either side of the bird. Of equal rarity, and 

 occurring within the same limited area, is what is called an 

 "eye" (Plate I, Fig. 5, Plumas County). There is here some 

 resemblance to be noted to the design known as "longko" 

 or " diamond" (Plate XIII, Fig. 2); but, at least in this re 

 gion, the two forms are regarded as distinct. 



All members of the Maidu appear to use a design represent 

 ing an earthworm or caterpillar. One of the simplest and 

 commonest forms, a series of single parallelograms of solid 

 color linked together by the corners, is shown on Plate II,. 

 Fig. i (El Dorado County). A slight variation in the desigm 

 as applied to the flatter plaque-baskets is shown in Fig. 2 

 (Butte County). Still another treatment is that in Fig. 3, 

 (El Dorado County). In this case it was said that the banded 

 parallelograms signified the striped caterpillar. With these 

 is classed, because of similarity, a design of rather uncertain 



