l60 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [April, 'l2 



"About forty years ago when the Indians used the Koo-chah- 

 bie as food, they would go to Pitt River in Modoc County, 

 California, at a point about ten miles down the river from 

 where the little village or town of Canby now is. The time 

 for gathering the flies was some time in the early summer. 

 The Indians would place logs across the river in about the 

 same manner that a present-day log or lumber boom is con- 

 structed. Then they would go up stream and shake the flies 

 off the willow bushes growing along the banks of the river. 

 The flies falling on the water would float down stream and 

 lodge against the logs in great quantities. As many as a hun- 

 dred bushels could be gathered in this way in a single day. 

 The Indians used a kind of basket to dip the flies from the 

 water and carry them to the place where they were to be 

 prepared for food. 



"A pit was dug in the ground about i^^ to 2 feet deep 

 and about 2 feet or more square. Then two layers of stones 

 were placed in the bottom of the pit, each layer being about 

 three inches thick. A wood fire was built on these stones and 

 more stones were put around and over the fire. When the 

 fire was burnt out and the stones were hot, all the stones were 

 removed except the bottom layer. Then green tules or green 

 coarse grass was spread out on the bottom layer of rocks. The 

 walls of the pit were lined with hot rocks also, and this inclos- 

 ure lined with tules or grass. The oven-like inclosure was 

 then filled with the flies. These were covered with green 

 coarse grass and the whole covered with more hot stones. 

 Water was then poured on the hot stones of the walls of the 

 pit, the hot stones converting it into steam. 



"As soon as the water was poured on, dirt was hurriedly 

 thrown over all to the depth of several inches. The flies were 

 allowed to cook in this manner until the heat was pretty well 

 expended. The dirt and grass were then removed from the 

 top and the mass allowed to cool. When sufficiently cooled 

 the product was taken from the oven and was ready for use as 

 food. In this state it was called by the Modoc and Pitt River 

 Indians 'Koo-chah-bie.' \\'hen cold Koo-chah-bie is about 

 the consistency of head-cheese, having a reddish brown color 

 and can be cut into slices with a knife." 



