296 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



slowly improved, but it was many days before she was like herself 

 again. In less than six weeks from that time a healthy boy was born. 

 The writer named the child at the request of the mother, but the nick- 

 name of Little Ko'loowisi will cling to him for many a day. The 

 gratitude of the husband to the writer for saving, as he thought, the 

 life of his wife and child was very marked and was shown in every 

 way possible. Each week the best products of his fields and garden 

 were brought to her from his farm, 15 miles away. 



It is believed that if the Sa'va'hlia or Sal'imobiya (certain anthropic 

 gods) strike a pregnant woman with their yucca switches pai'turition 

 will inmiediately result. Therefore all women in this condition are 

 careful to keep out of the reach of the yucca when these gods appear 

 in the village. A spiral shell is worn in the belt of the woman when a 

 boy is desired, and another variety of sliell when a girl is wished for. 

 After childbirth a white pebble is taken into the mother's mouth, and the 

 teeth are pressed against it in order that the child's teeth may be white 

 and strong. It has been reported that Zuni women during childbirth 

 are segregated in houses specially set apart for the purpose. Such is 

 not the fact. Nai'uchi would not visit his granddaughter for some days 

 after her confinement Ijecause of wounds he had received from arrows 

 3'ears ago, as he feared that the wounds would frighten the infant, 

 causing it to cry all the time and not sleep. It is declared by all the 

 Zuni theurgists, both men and women, that ten months are required 

 for the gestation of a male child, but only nine for a female child. 

 Twins are not connnon; triplets are very rare; they are attributed to 

 embraces in immediate succession, 



A young pregnant woman, becoming alarmed, called in the theur- 

 gist. He examined the abdomen, and declared that she was carrying- 

 three children and that should they reach full development she would 

 surely die. He produced premature birth; and it was claimed by the 

 doctor that the iirst two born breathed a few times and that the third 

 was stillborn. Abortion is rarely practiced on married women; but 

 it is not unconnnon among the fallen women, who are always pointed 

 at with the finger of scorn, except when they are on a bed of illness; 

 they then receive the same consideration as others. Their infants are 

 not discriminated against in an}' way. 



Women complain l)ut little previous to parturition, performing 

 their duties as usual until the actual presence of labor. The feet and 

 hands are frequently swollen to a painful degree, and it is not unusual 

 to find the face affected in the same way. This swelling does not often 

 exist except during the ten or twelve days immediately previous to 

 accouchement, and in most cases observed by the writer the swelling- 

 disappeared rapidly after confinement. 



Laceration of the perineum is of frequent occurrence. It is a 



