Vni PREFACE 



Bureau could scarcely hope to cover the entire range of the subject 

 within a i-easonal)le time; consequently various specialists not directly 

 connected with the Bureau were invited to assist — an invitation that was 

 accepted in a manner most gratifying. It is owing to the generous 

 aid of these students that a work so complete as the Handbook is 

 intended to be was made possible, and to them the Bureau owes its deep 

 appreciation. That the Handbook has many imperfections there is no 

 doubt, but it is hoped that in future editions the weak points may be 

 strengthened and the gaps filled, until, as researches among the tribes 

 are continued, the compilation will eventually represent a complete 

 summary of existing knowledge respecting the aborigines of northern 

 America. 



The scope of the Handbook is as comprehensive as its function neces- 

 sitates. It treats of all the tribes north of Mexico, including the Eskimo, 

 and those tribes south of the boundary more or less affiliated with those 

 in the United States. It has been the aim to give a brief description of 

 every linguistic stock, confederacy', tribe, subtribe or tribal division, 

 and settlement known to history or even to tradition, as well as the origin 

 and derivation of everv name treated, whenever such is known, and to 

 record under each every form of the name and every other appellation 

 that could be learned. These synonyms, in alphabetic order, are assem- 

 bled as cross references in Part 2. 



Under the tribal descriptions a brief account of the ethnic relations 

 of the tribe, its history, its location at various periods, statistics of 

 population, etc., are included. Accompan3'ing each synon3'm (the 

 earliest known date always being given) a reference to the authority 

 is noted, and these references form practically a bibliography of the 

 tribe for those who desire to pursue the sul^ject further. It is not 

 claimed that every spelling of every tribal name that occurs in print is 

 given, but it is believed that a sufficient number of forms is recorded 

 to ena})le the student to identify practically every name by which any 

 group of Indians has been known, as well as to trace the origin of 

 many of the terms that have been incorporated into our geographic 

 nomenclature. 



In many instances the treatises are satisfactorily illustrated; in 

 others, much necessarily has been left to a future edition in order 

 that the present pu))lication may not be further delayed. The work 

 of illustration was intrusted largely to Mr De Lancey Gill. 



The contributors to Part 1, in addition to those who have rendered 

 valued assistance by affording information, correcting proofs, and in 

 other ways, are as follows, the names being arranged in the alphabet- 

 ical order of the initials attached to the signed articles: 



A.. C. F. Alice C. Fletcher of Washington. 



A. F. C Alexander F. Chamberlain of Clark University. 



A. H. A. Hrdlicka of the United States National Museum. 



