SEPTKMnKr. 14, 18S3.] 



SCIENCE. 



:367 



Indian dialocts of the province; irotins;, especially, 

 the more curious peculiarilies of the language, llie 

 dialectic differences of the tribes, and the modes in 

 which such changes liave been effected. 



Tlie principal occupation of the men is that of 

 boatmen on the St. Lawrence, though the bead-work 

 goods of the tribe are sold everywhere. The speaker 

 detailed her e.vciling experience in shooting the rapids 

 of the St. Lawrence, on a raft, under the skilful 

 charge of these Indian boatmen. Many of the laws 

 of the old aboriginal Mohawks are forgotten by the 

 tribe described. The significance of some of the 

 wanipum-belts was outlined; and the speaker recited 

 the legend of the old bell in the chapel, closing with 

 a tribute to the zeal and the results of the labors of 

 the old Catholic priests who have worked so 'long 

 among these Indians. 



An exhibition was made, in connection with the 

 reading of the paper, of wani]iuin-belts, drawings of 

 ornaments, and the work of the earlier priests, in- 

 cluding some literature. 



interested parties regarding it as a grievance, or even 

 a hardship. It surprises an Indian to have the pro- 

 priety of this arrangement questioned. No point of 

 our law of inheritance is so difficult for him to under- 

 stand, as that which binds together the child and the 

 surviving parent. 



Young men whose mothers are of the same gens 

 are accounted brothers to each other, and the broth- 

 ers of the mothers are uncles. Uetween these uncles 

 and the nephews and neices, there is an easy famil- 

 iarity, not unlike that of parents and children. 



The author has observed a decided lack of family 

 likeness among Indians. This observation applies, 

 however, to entire families, which iiulude cousins, 

 aunts, and uncles; a striking resemblance between 

 parents and children being not unusual. 



The Indian may be 'the stoic of the woods;' hut 

 he is neither averse to pleasantry, nor deficient in 

 sensitiveness of a certain kind. He delights in chaff- 

 ing his fellow Indian; and dreads, more than aught 

 else, being made a laughing-stock. 



Observations on the la-vrs and privileges of 

 the gens in Indian society. 



BY ALICE C. FLETCUEK OF XEW YORK. 



This paper was read by the secretary of the sec- 

 tion, in the ab-^ence of the author. 



An elucidation of the customs and circumstances 

 under which the gens system in Indian tribes super- 

 sedes parental ties, was the chief feature of this 

 paper. The author had an excellent opportunity for 

 observations of this character, during the work of 

 placing the Omaha tribe of Indians upon their lands 

 in severalty, and wliile adjusting the line of descent 

 and inheritance according to our laws. 



"A child who has lost its father or mother is con- 

 sidered an or])han. Its particular place is gone, and 

 it passes into the gens." Beyond the foregoing state- 

 ment, the paper does not make it quite clear, whether, 

 in case of the death of the mother only, the child 

 remains somewhat under direction of the father, or is 

 wholly assigned to a family of the father's relatives. 



But as to the results when the father dies, leaving 

 offspring, the paper is quite explicit. In that case, 

 the mother loses all maternal rights. Each child, 

 unless of very tender age, will be separated from the 

 mother, and will go into the family of some one of 

 the father's relatives. It may thereafter be claimed 

 as his own child by the male head of the family to 

 which it has been allotted. This separation of her 

 children from a widow is permanent. She usually 

 marries again, and in that event is not burdened 

 with her offspring by previous husband or husbamls ; 

 but if she should remain unmarried, she would be 

 expected to work for the family that has adopted her 

 children, rather than for the children themselves. 

 If she dies when her children are young, it is proba- 

 hle, that, at maturity, they will have forgotten even 

 her name. 



The women are not wanting in affection for the 

 children of whom they are bereft; hut the separation 

 Is looked upon as a matter of course, none of the 



Symbolic earth formations. 



BY ALICE C. KLETCIIER OF NEW VOUK. 



This paper was read by the secretary of the section, 

 in the absence of the author. 



By the foregoing title, the author refers to certain 

 heaps of earth which are piled up with care and 

 formality during religious ceremonies of Indian tribes. 

 Miss Fletcher has in previous papers described the 

 preparation of these little mounds among the Sioux, 

 where it formed part of every religious ceremony she 

 witnessed. The present paper described this piac- 

 lice among the Winnebagoes in the ' buffalo-dance,' 

 which is given by them four times in May and early 

 June. The Winnebagoes, the author says, are ad- 

 mitted to be one of the older branches of the great 

 family to which their tribe belongs. Their anti<iuity 

 is .'•hown by the construction of their language, by 

 finding many religious ceremonies of different tribes 

 referred to the Winnebagoes. and by Winnebago 

 words used by other tribes in connection with reli- 

 gious ritual. 



The buffalo-dance was described in detail. As the 

 dancers enter, each woman brings in a handful of 

 fine earth, and deposits it, so that two small mounds 

 are raised midway between the eastern entrance and 

 a tire which is about fifteen feet front the entrance. 

 The mounds thus formed are truncated cones; and 

 an old Indian said to Miss Fletcher, " That is the 

 way all mounds were built: that is why we buihl so 

 for the buffalo." The mounds were about four inches 

 high, and not far from eighteen inches in diameter. 

 When the mounds were completed, the head-gear of 

 the four male ilancers was placed upon them, consist- 

 ing of claws, tails, and other trophies of the chase. 

 The men imitate the buffalo in his wild tramping 

 and roaring. The women follow in single file, each 

 with her feet nearly straight and her heels together. " 

 propelling herself by a jerk of the body, or a kind of 

 hop. The appearance of the entire line of female 

 dancers is suggestive of the undulating movement of 



