656 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



Muskhogeans, though the Beaver was of consequence only in one 

 group of Creek towns, those belonging to the Otciapofa and Tulsa 

 Indians. The Wolf clan was prominent among the Cherokee but 

 among the Creeks was regarded as a minor clan affiliated with the 

 Bear. The Eagle, Snake, and Fish were represented among southern 

 tribes, Siouans, and Algonquians but almost wanting among the 

 Iroquois and Huron. Hawk clans scarcely appear among southern 

 tribes. Clans found mainly among southern tribes and Algonquians 

 were the Fox, Turkey, Potato, Raven, Rabbit, Squirrel, Blackbird, 

 and Corn, though only the first three were of much consequence in the 

 former area. The Bird and Wind clans appear among southern tribes 

 and Siouans and so does the Paint clan, though it is very slenderly 

 represented. The Turtle clan is of little consequence in the south 

 and among the Siouans, but of major importance among the Iro- 

 quoian and Algonquian people. The Elk, Bison, Crane, Grouse, Sun, 

 Moon, Thunder, Stone, Tree, Swan, and Big Fire were shared prin- 

 cipally by the Algonquians and Siouans. The Snipe and Eel were 

 almost confined to the Iroquoians of the north. Found mainly among 

 Siouans were the Pigeon, Earth, Night, Star, and Owl. Found 

 mainly among the Muskhogeans and their neighbors were the Panther, 

 Raccoon, Wildcat, Skunk, Alligator, Otter, Buzzard, and Spanish 

 clans. Found mainly among the Algonquians were the Dog, Muskrat, 

 Sturgeon, Water, Loon, Great Sea, Moose, Lynx, Bass, Carp, Sea 

 Gull, Man, and Marten. 



This distribution may be explained in part by the environment. 

 It was natural that the Elk and Bison should be utilized most by 

 tribes to the north and west, the Moose, Reindeer, Lynx, Marten, and 

 Snow by tribes to the north, and the Alligator by tribes to the south, 

 while a Spanish clan would naturally be looked for only in the south 

 near Spanish-occupied territories. The openness of their country 

 and the prominence of physical phenomena as opposed to animal 

 life may very well account for the Night, Star, Sun, Moon, Thunder, 

 Big Fire, Stone, Earth, and even the Tree clan among the Siouan 

 tribes and some of the Algonquian tribes toward the west. The 

 environment of the Great Lakes is also clearly reflected in the num- 

 ber of clan names taken from fish, waterfowl, or names associated 

 with water found among the Algonquian tribes which centered there. 

 Thus we have a Water clan among the Shawnee, Miami, and Kicka- 

 poo; Great Sea among the Potawatomi, Sauk, and Fox; and also 

 such clans as Sturgeon, Bass, Carp, Trout, Bullhead, Pickerel, Cat- 

 fish, Whitefish, Sucker, Water Snake, Swan, Loon, Sea Gull, Duck, 

 Shagpoke, Coot, Goose, Cormorant, Muskrat, Fisher, and Merman 

 in the general area. On the other hand, there seems to be no par- 

 ticular reason why hawks should not have been used by the southern 



