L BUKEAU OF AMERICAN KTHXULOGY 



(if current events, represented pictoij-rapliically by rude dra\v'- 

 ings and paintings on skins or faljrics; and from them tlie 

 important events in the history of the tribes for many years 

 can be determined with accurac)'. 



Another line of researcli rehited to the use of peyote by 

 several of the southern plains tribes in their ceremonials as a 

 paratriptic and mild intoxicant; this article, as used by the 

 Indians, is the upper part of the cactus known botanically as 

 Anhahnium letvinii or Lopliophora wiUiamsii Icivinii, which 

 grows in the arid region of Texas and eastern Mexico. The 

 tops of the plants are collected and dried, when tliey form 

 button-like masses an inch or more in diameter and perhaps 

 one-eig'hth of an inch in thickness; these buttons are eaten by 

 the Indians in certain protracted and exhausting ceremonies. 

 Their effect is to stimulate and invigorate the system to such 

 an extent as to permit active participation in the dance and 

 drama for many consecutive hours without fatigue, while at 

 the same time mental effects somewhat akin to those of hashish 

 are produced, whereby the condition of trance or hallucina- 

 tion, which plays so important a part in all primitive ceremo- 

 nies, is made more complete than is customary or even possible 

 under normal circumstances. In addition to studying effects 

 2)roduced on the Indians themselves by the use of the poison, 

 Mr Mooney collected a consideral)le (juantity of the material 

 for scientific examination. By courtes}' of the Department of 

 Agriculture, the buttons were analvzed b^- Dr Harvey W. 

 Wiley and Mr E. E. Ewell, of that Department, and were 

 found to yield three alkaloids, designated, respectively, as 

 anhalonine, mescaline, and alkaloid 3, besides certain resinous 

 substances; all possess peculiar })hysiologic jjroperties. The 

 physiologic action of the mescal buttons administered entire, 

 and also of the three alkaloids, has been tested by D. W. Pren- 

 tiss, M. I)., and F. P. Morgan, M. I)., and the results have l)een 

 found to be of great interest, leading the experimentalists to 

 consider the extracts as important therapeutic agents and valu- 

 able additions to the pharmacopoeia. 



On his return from the field j\Ir Mooney began the prejjara- 

 tion of a memoir on the Kiowa calendars, which was nearly 



