OP THE BUREAU OP ETHNOLOGY. XXXV 



close observation of the neighboring tribe of the Navajos. 

 The present paper, as connected with the general topic of 

 aboriginal industries, is supplementary to that by him on 

 Navajo Silversmiths, published in the Second Annual Report 

 of this Bureau. 



The Navajos are pre-eminent as weavers among the native 

 tribes north of Mexico, and though possibly some of their 

 skill has been learned from the Spaniards through the Pueblos, 

 the art is undoubtedly of earlier origin, and its advance has 

 been through native invention and ingenuity. At one time the 

 textile fabrics were composed of cotton, the fibers of yucca 

 leaves and other plants, the hair of some quadrupeds, and the 

 down of birds. They now are woven from the wool of the 

 domestic sheep, large herds of which are reared. 



Dr. Matthews describes clearly, and with the aid of copious 

 illustrations, the whole process, including the dyes, their origin 

 and employment, with the ingenious mechanical appliances for 

 forming the different styles of fabrics and the wonderful variety 

 of designs. The paper is not only of much interest as an 

 account of a valuable and unique product of the loom, but 

 also as exhibiting the power of voluntary adaptation of the 

 Indian mind to novel materials, and its self-improvement within 

 a period ascertained to be brief. Such characteristics noticed 

 among the tribe of Indians least influenced by civilization, are 

 conclusive against the ferae, natures theory, sometimes urged an 

 excuse for the destruction of the natives of America. This is 

 now happily vanishing with other errors, all tending to portray 

 the Indian as an exceptional part of the human race, instead 

 of being, as he is, a living example of our own prehistoric past. 



OMAHA SOCIOLOGY, BY RET. J. OWEIST DORSEY. 



Mr. Dorsey, who had, in the year 1871, entered upon 

 service as a missionary among the group of Indians, one tribe 

 of which is the subject of this paper, and thereby thoroughly 

 understanding their language and habits, has re-examined their 

 social systems in the field since he has made a special study 

 of the science of anthropology. His exhaustive and well- 

 arranged production, the work of fourteen years in preparation 



