y(2 COILED BASKETRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA [xm ann. 41 
In the case of a small bottom the original bundle of long splints, 
which is bent in the middle to start the work, is enough to finish it; 
but where it is not, additional pieces are added to it, both to keep the 
coil of even thickness throughout and to lengthen it. ‘The number 
of parallel coils employed in making bottoms varies according to their 
thickness and to the size of the bottom, and apparently there is no 
correlation between this latter and the number of coils. When it is 
noticed that the work is becoming narrower at one end in the process 
of manufacture, the coils are enlarged at that place, and if the diffi- 
culty can not be thus entirely remedied the surrounding ones are 
also increased. It sometimes happens that the bends of the parallel 
coils are not always on a line with each other and it becomes necessary 
to add short sections of coils at these places along the ends. Plate 
Y® : c 
g St e d 
Fic. 8.—Watch-spring coiling adapted to triangular and square bottoms 
3, c, shows how this has been done. The bottom pictured is rather 
more poorly constructed than the average. Plate 4 shows by way of 
contrast two remarkably fine specimens. - 
Some women were found who make only this type of bottom, 
but this, it appears, is because they make only rectangular baskets. 
They know how to make the other kinds as well. Practically all 
circular baskets are made with watch-spring bottoms, but Plate 6, b, 
shows a rare variant. 
The watch-spring type is also used for baskets which are almost 
square, triangular, or heart-shaped. Figure 8 and Plate 3, a, b, show 
the method of treating the coils and also the increase in thickness 
where that is necessary. A few women regularly bifurcate the 
stitches extending outward from the center to the corners for the 
purpose of ornamentation. 
An interesting criticism of the kind of bottom shown in Figure 8, a, 
was elicited from some basket makers who thought that the woman 
