86 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



tains, etc., in the Navajo country, where the events are supposed to 

 have occurred, and was obtained from a half-breed Navajo, aided 

 by an old man of the tribe. 



Mr. Gatschet remarked that the myth seemed to be a compound 

 of numerous traditional legends, and showed how a number of the 

 events recited might be allegorically interpreted; e. g., the separa- 

 tion of the men from the women probably represented the division 

 of day and night. The giant he thought was emblematic of the 

 sun. 



Prof. Mason expressed surprise that no connection could be traced 

 between these Navajo myths and the Tinnee myths, notwithstanding 

 the certainty that the Navajos had migrated from British America 

 within comparatively recent times, and spoke of the rapidity with 

 which myths grow. 



Dr. Hoffman asked if certain parts had not been omitted from 

 the myth as read. 



Mr. Packard replied that he had tried to embrace all the essential 

 parts. 



Col. Mallery spoke of the analogy between principal occurrences 

 described in the Navajo myth with those contained in the myths of 

 other peoples ; as for example, that of the separation of the sexes 

 with the story of the Amazons ; the rising of the waters with the 

 wide-spread tradition of a deluge ; and the occupation of the reed 

 with the fable of Jack and the bean-stalk. He also called attention 

 to the usual predominance of the number four. 



Prof. J. Howard Gore then presented a communication on the 

 Regulative System of the Zunis. The following is an abstract : 



Zufii is situated in the western part of New Mexico, 12 miles from 

 Arizona and about 250 miles southwest of Santa Fe. It is built of 

 adobe ; the houses are contiguous, and in some places cover the irreg- 

 ular streets, thus uniting the whole town into three single buildings. 



The subsistence of the people is derived from herds of sheep and 

 goats and from the soil. The minor crops are grown near the 



