242 Cooke on Chifpeiua Bird Names. [July 



terus from the Adirondacks (Bull. N. O. C, Vol. VI, No. 4, 

 Oct. 1880, p. 335). I did not kill the bird, but saw them (there 

 were two) for several hours flying about a pond. They were 

 smaller than argent atus^ and the primaries were without black 

 tips. This was just after the ice had gone out of the lakes in 

 April, 1878." 



BIRD NOMENCLATURE OF THE CHIPPEWA 

 INDIANS. 



BY W. W. COOKE. 



During a three years' residence among the Chippewas at 

 White Earth, Minn., I had many opportunities of learning the 

 names which the}^ give to birds, and some of their ideas regarding 

 them. These Indians claim to have a name for each and every 

 kind of bird inhabiting their county ; as a fact, they have no 

 specific name for fully one-half of those which yearly nest before 

 their eyes, or pass by in migration. We may say in general that 

 they give names to all winter residents, since at that time bird 

 life is so scarce that each one is accurately noticed, while summer 

 birds of much greater dissimilarity receive but one name. 



Among summer residents, nearly all those that are hunted for 

 food are named and described. Indeed, few white hunters, or 

 ornithologists, can recognize the different species of Ducks as 

 quickly or at as, great a distance as many of these Indians. Of 

 the other stnnmer birds, most of the large species have names, 

 but some of these, as, for example, those of the Hawks and Owls, 

 are very loosely applied. They all seem to be familiar with the 

 names, but not with the particular bird to which each belongs. 

 This may be accounted for by the large number of stories about 

 these birds which are told to the children, teaching them the names, 

 but not the appearance of the birds. The small birds of summer 

 seem to the Indian beneath his notice, and when asked the name, 

 the answer not uncommonlj' is, "Why do you want to know its 

 name? It isn't good to eat." They consider that when to a 

 small winged animal they have given the name 'bird,' they have 

 d.one their whole dutv. 



