malleey 1 NAME-TOTEMS — MONTHS. 99 



is denominated, there are others that are personal, which the children, 

 receive from their mother. * * * The chiefs are distinguished by a 

 name that has either some reference to their abilities or to the hiero- 

 glyphic of their families, and these are acquired after they have arrived 

 at the age of manhood. Such as have signalized themselves either in 

 their war or hunting parties, or are possessed of some eminent qualifi- 

 cation, receive a name that serves to perpetuate the fame of their ac- 

 tions or to make their abilities conspicuous." The common use of these 

 name-signs appears in their being affixed to old treaties, and also to 

 some petitions in the office of Indian Affairs. Their similarity in char- 

 acter, use, and actual design, either with or without clan designation, 

 affords an instructive comparison with the origiu of heraldry and of 

 modern surnames. Further remarks about the name system of Iudiaus 

 appear on page 169. 



With reference to the Winter Counts, it is well known that the Dakotas 

 count their years by winters (which is quite natural, that season in their 

 high levels and latitudes practically lasting more than six mouths), 

 and say a man is so many snows old, or that so many snow seasons 

 have passed since an occurrence. They have no division of time into 

 weeks, and their months are absolutely lunar, only twelve, however, 

 being designated, which receive their names upon the recurrence of 

 some prominent physical phenomenon. For example, the period partly 

 embraced by February is intended to be the " raccoon moon"; March, 

 the "sore-eye moon"; and April, that ' ; iu which the geese lay eggs." 

 As the appearance of raccoons after hibernation, the causes inducing in- 

 flamed eyes, and oviposition by geese vary with the meteorological char- 

 acter of each year, and as the twelve lunations reckoned do not bring- 

 back the point in the season when counting commenced, there is often 

 dispute in the Dakota tipis toward the end of winter as to the correct 

 current date. In careful examination of the several Counts it does not 

 appear to be clear whether the event portrayed occurred in the winter 

 months or was selected in the months immediately before or in those 

 immediately after the winter. No regularity or accuracy is noticed in 

 these particulars. 



The next following pages give the translated interpretation of the 

 above mentioned charts of The-Flame, designated as No. I; of Lone- 

 Dog, designated as No. II ; and of The-Swan as No. Ill ; and are ex- 

 planations of Plates VII to XXXIII. As The-Flame's count began be- 

 fore the other two and ended later than those, Plates VII, VIII, and 

 XXXIII are confined to that count, the others showing the three in 

 connection. The red color frequently mentioned appears in the corre- 

 sponding figures in Plate VI of Lone-Dog's chart as reproduced, but 

 black takes its place in the series of plates now under consideration. 

 Mention of the charts of Mato Sapa and of Major Bush is made where 

 there seems to be any additional information or suggestion in them. 

 When those charts are not mentioned they agree with that of Lone-Dog. 



