INTRODUCTION. 



1. The study of the ethno-botany of the American Indians has lately 

 been receiving considerable attention at the hands of the American 

 scientists. In March, 1890, Dr. J. W. Harshberger published a short 

 paper on the "Purposes of Ethno-botany," 1 suggested by the study of 

 the Wetherill collection of plant products from the Mancos canon. 



In 1892 Mr. Frederick V. Coville published valuable notes on the 

 botany of the Panamint Indians of California, collected while he was 

 a member of the Death Valley Exploring Expedition of 1891.* 



Two very valuable articles have quite recently appeared, by Dr. V. 

 Havard, U. S. A.: "The Food Plants of the North American Indians," 3 

 and "Drink Plants of the North American Indians." 4 



In 1895 an article, "The Beginnings of Agriculture," by Mr. W 

 J McGee, being a study of the Papago country, suggesting the influ- 

 ences exerted upon life in a desert environment, appeared in the 

 American Anthropologist. 



Still more recently Mr. J. W. Fewkes published a preliminary study 

 of the " Foods and Food Resources of the Hopi Indians," 5 having then 

 in preparation a more systematic memoir upon Tusayan botany. A 

 supplementary article, "The Hopi in Relation to their Plant Environ- 

 ment," by Mr. Walter Hough, was printed in February, 1897.* 



As a guide to researches of this character the National Museum has 

 recently issued a bulletin by Mr. Coville, Directions for Collecting 

 Specimens and Information Illustrating the Aboriginal Uses of Plants. 



These few notices will show the attention that the subject is likely 

 to command in the near future. 



Much valuable work was, however, done many years ago, particu- 

 larly by Mr. Edward Palmer, 7 and by Mr. Stephen Powers, 8 which 

 should have aroused a more general interest in this important subject. 



2. The present study is an attempt to describe some of the native 

 plant rer -rces known and used by the Coahuilla Indians of southern 

 California The articles already published show how such a work may 

 be conducted. There are few plants in an Indian country that have not 

 been experimented with by its native inhabitants. A thorough study 



i Botanical Gazette, Vol. XXI, No. 3. American Anthropologist, Vol. V, p. 331. 



3 Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. XXII, No. 3, March, 1895. 

 Mbid., Vol. XXIII, No. 2, February, 1896. 



5 American Anthropologist, Vol. IX, No. i, January, 1896. 



6 A merican A nthropologist, Vol. XX, No. 2, February, 1897. 7 American Naturalist, 1878. 

 8 "Aboriginal Botany," Proceedings California Academical Society, Vol. V. 



