50 THE OSAGE TRIBE. [eth. ANN. 39 



The symbols mentioned in this \vi'-gi-e belong to seven different 

 gentes. They are as follows : 



1. The great butterfly belongs to the Ho^'-ga U-ta-no°-dsi. The 

 name used in the wi'-gi-e, Dsi°-tha' to°-ga, is an archaic name and 

 not that in ordinary use. The common name is X)si-o°'-dsi-o°. 



2. The swallow belongs to the Wa-^a'-be and the I°-gtho°'-ga 

 gentes. The identity of the bird seems to be in doubt among the 

 No°'-ho°-zhi''-ga of to-day. Ki-gthu'-ni-ka, the name used in the 

 wi'-gi-e, is archaic and its meaning has become obscure. Wa-xthi'- 

 zhi, who recited the wi'-gi-e, believes that the buzzard is referred to 

 in the archaic name, but Wa'-thu-xa-ge of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge 

 gens is certain that the name refers to the swallow. In the free 

 translation, however, the swallow is used. 



3. The mottled eagle, the immature golden eagle of the dark 

 plumage, belongs to the Ho°'-ga A-hiu-to° gens. The name, A'-hiu- 

 ta-ta, used in the wi'-gi-e, is archaic but it is still known to what 

 bird the name refers. The name in common use for this bird is 

 Ho"'-ga gthe-zhe, the mottled eagle, from the mottled marks on its 

 tail feathers. 



4. The little pipe, No°-ni'-o"-ba zhi°-ga, belongs to the Wa-zha'-zhe 

 Wa-no° of the Ho'^'-ga division. This pipe was used in the suppli- 

 catory ceremonies of the people, and it is probably for this reason 

 that it was included in this wi'-gi-e. It may be safe to presiune that 

 this symbolic pipe was used in the rite calling for the punishment, 

 by supernatural means, of persons treating with contempt the sacred 

 rites. 



.5. The nighthawk belongs to the Tsi'-zhu Wa-no° and the "Tse- 

 do'-ga I°-dse gentes. The name, Tse-shi°'-shi''-e, used in the wi'-gi-e, 

 is archaic ; that commonly used is Pshu'-shka. 



6. The great dragon fly belongs to the Mi'k'i" Wa-no" gens. The 

 ordinary name for the insect, Tse'-pi-tha to^-ga, is used in the wi'-gi-e. 



7. The bank-swallow belongs to the Ni'-ka-wa-ko°-da-gi and the 

 Tho'-xe gentes. The common name of the bird, Ni-shku'-shku, is 

 used in the wi'-gi-e. 



When Wa-xthi'-zhi gave the penalty wi'-gi-e used in common by 

 all the gentes he also recited one that belonged exclusively to the 

 Ni'-ka-wa-ko°-da-gi gens. The wi'-gi-e of this gens, like the penalty 

 wi'-gi-e of the I°-gtho°'-ga gens, prescribes no definite penalty to fall 

 upon those guilty of performing acts of irreverence, but this would 

 not be necessary in any case, because if the word wa'-xpe-gthe alone 

 should appear in a wi'-gi-e it would be respected by the people. 



