21 



four-footed beasts and the birds. As the child grows older 

 he observes more for himself, and of birds he imitates their 

 language. Though familiar with the names and the 

 "literature" of his ornithology, he may never become an 

 observer skillful enough to fit upon the owners the ex- 

 cellent names which he knows. The meaning, too, and the 

 reason why, are likewise difficult to get from most Indians, 

 although it is alleged by those high in authority among us 

 that every name in an unwritten language must carry its 

 meaning with it, so as to be instantly taken apart and 

 understood. 



In the following list the writer regrets that he cannot 

 give a translation in every case that represents the mean- 

 ing of the name with precision as absolute as our language 

 permits, but the difficulties of translation, while not elim- 

 inated, have been greatly simplified by reason of the ex- 

 cellent knowledge of English possessed by many Indians 

 of the Milicete tribe. 



The spelling is that recommended by the United States 

 Bureau of Ethnology. It should be borne in mind that 

 there is frequently no distinction between the sounds k 

 and g, p and b, s and z, and tc and dj. In many instances 

 the sound is intermediate. Indians themselves in writing 

 their language in English characters, express either the 

 hard or soft sounds with indifference, more so at the be- 

 ginning of a word. 



The following abbreviated list will serve to explain the 

 more important peculiarities of the alphabet : 

 a, as in father. o, as in note. 



a, as in what, not. o, stiictly a shortened sound, 



a, as in all, not equivalent to 6 in 



au, as ou in out. English, which is more 



c, as sh in shall. nearly the sound of a. 



tc, as ch in church. q, as ch in German ich. 



e, as in they. u, as in rule, 



e, as in then. ii. as in pull, 



i, as in pique. n, as in butt. 



I, as in pick. 



