112 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULE. 80 
The Black Mouth Society comprised warriors who were in the 
prime of life, having passed the age of reckless daring but lost none 
of their vigor (see pp. 47-52). Maximilian calls the fourth age soci- 
ety of the Mandan the “Soldiers,” but his description of the face 
painting and other customs identify it as the Black Mouth Society. 
The Buffalo Society was composed of men 50 to 60 years of age. 
Little Crow said that the society held its principal meeting in the 
spring, “ when the grass was just starting.” In this dance the men 
reenacted their exploits on the warpath. Spectators were not 
allowed to approach the dancers; and if they did so, the warriors 
“fired a blank charge at them.” It was said that members of the 
Buffalo Society went to war, if necessary, but they do not seem to 
have been part of the active and constant defense of the tribe. Hold- 
ing Eagle said that “two men represented buffalo and wore head- 
dresses with horns. The members of the society wore buffalo-hide 
decorations, but did not wear a whole headdress of it.” Crow’s 
Heart was one of those who were privileged to wear the headdress 
representing a buffalo (pl. 19, a). None of the songs of this society 
were designated as war songs. 
Drums, Rarries, AND WuistLEs Usep IN THE SOCIETIES 
The drums used in the several societies were hand drums and 
usually were of medium size (pl. 9, a, 6). There were said to be three 
or four drums in each society, a certain responsibility resting with 
the head drummer, as he was expected to open his own lodge at any 
time for meetings of the society. 
The rattles were of two types (see p. 8). Each society had its own 
sort of rattle which was used in the dances. 
Whistles or “ war pipes ” of different sizes were used by the societies 
(see p. 9). The specimens and descriptions obtained by the present 
writer differed in no essential respects from those recorded by 
Maximilian. 
SonGs OF THE SOCIETIES 
These songs are of three general classes: (1) Dancing songs, (2) 
war sorfgs, and (3) “serenades,” the latter being sung by members of 
the society when going around the village or sitting on top of the 
lodges. To these may be added the love songs, which differed from 
the serenades, but were sung in a somewhat similar manner. Songs 
were always referred to a certain society, the title being given as a 
“ Fox Society war song,” or a “ Dog Society serenade.” Some of the 
following songs were undoubtedly Mandan and others Hidatsa in 
origin; but as the societies, with one exception, were common to both 
tribes, it is not expedient to attempt a tribal grouping of the songs, 
