78 The Book of Woodcraft 



As soon as organized, the Tribe or Band should 

 select a Totem and a Call. Take one out of the 

 accompanying list, or a modification of one of them; 

 or take any one that is suggested by them. Thus, 

 you might take the "Wild Cat," but wish to have 

 it of some other color. This you are free to do. Take 

 one, two, three, or even four colors if you like, but two 

 are most convenient. When the book says "purple on 

 green," that means the Totem is in purple; all the rest of 

 the flag is green. Do not be afraid to select other colors, 

 but always keep them as flat tints; avoid mere pictures 

 on the flag. 



Lines are easily put in with black paint, when they are 

 needed, which is not often. 



Any bird, animal, tree, or flower, will do for To- 

 tem, but it is all the better if it have some special 

 reason. 



One Tribe set out on a long journey to look for a Totem. 

 They agreed to take the first living wild thing that they saw 

 and knew the name of. They traveled all one day and 

 saw nothing to suit, but next day, in a swamp, they startled 

 a blue heron. It went off with a harsh cry. So they be- 

 came the "Blue Herons," and adopted as a war cry the 

 croak of the bird and its name — "Hrrrrr — Blue Heron. " 

 Another Band may have the Wolf Totem. The Snap- 

 ping Turtles were formed because their camp was on 

 a lake that was the haunt of a huge snapper. The 

 Flying Eagles had organized, but were sitting in 

 Council waiting for a sign to guide them in choice of 

 a name. A bald eagle came from the lake, flew over the 

 camp, then went back on the lake. This was accepted as 

 the sign, and the Tribe became the Flying Eagle Band 

 of New Jersey 



