198 BELIEFS AND USAGES OF CHICKASAW [ETH. ANN. 44 
stantly counted together, the only discrepancies between these lists 
are in the apparent elevation of the Spanish clan to the first position 
in Gibbs's time and the insertion by him of three clans between the 
Fish and Skunk. From the wording of the description of clans in 
Schoolcraft, however, it is not certain that his informant pretends 
to give a complete clan list. 
Speck says that those clans which had totemic names had no taboo 
against eating the flesh of the animal after which they were named, 
and this is indicated also by the statement of his informant that the 
men of the Hataqananie “ are expert fishermen, and trade in fish.” * 
He also says: “ The totemic clans assign a mythical origin to them- 
selves from the animal whose name they bear, such as fish, skunk, 
and crawfish,” and he cites as “a good instance” the origin story 
of the “ cognate Choctaw crawfish clan.” *? This, however, is not a 
good instance because the supposed crawfish clan is in reality an 
incorporated tribe. Were the data preserved, I believe we should 
find that, as in the case of the Creek Indians, while descent from the 
totem animal is frequently asserted in general terms, specific stories 
bearing upon the subject accounted for the totemic name by some 
early association of individuals of the clan and the clan animal not 
involving blood relationship between the two. Speck is on firmer 
ground in stating that “the totem of the clan is also the guardian 
spirit of the men of that clan, who hold their totem animal and his 
earthly representatives as guides, kinsmen, and spiritual overseers.” 
“ Hence,” he adds, “it was and is customary for them to maintain 
jealously the honor of their totemic animal. Numerous tales, de- 
scriptive of his wonderful exploits, are told by each clan. Also 
myth elements from negro sources have been introduced, where such 
fall in well with the character of the exploit and cast credit upon 
some particular totem.” *® The fact is that, again as in the case of 
the Creeks, the association of an animal name with a body of people 
has brought about an association of everything connected with that 
animal and the aforesaid body. The honor of the group is in some 
way bound up with due respect to the animal whose name the group 
bears, and a kind of proprietary right is extended over tales in 
which the totem animal is conspicuous, although it is probable that 
very few of these were composed or repeated primarily as “ clan 
tales.” 
Stories about the Raccoon, Panther, Wildcat, Bird, and Red Fox 
clans were written down for me by a native Chickasaw, but these 
consist of bits of gossip and the relation of certain customs and habits 
which may not have been peculiar to them. Some of these clans are 
represented as endogamous. Probably, however, in the breakdown 
4 Journ. Am, Folk-Lore, vol. xx, p. 52. #2 [bid. 48 Tbid, p. 54. 
