40 INDIANS OF THE PLAINS. 



Some of the Santee-Dakota lived for a pari of the 

 year in rectangular cabins of bark and poles as did some 

 of the Woodland tribes. On the west, an oval or 

 conical brush or grass shelter seems to have preceded 

 the tipi. The Comanche were seen using both this 

 western type of brush lodge and the tipi in 1853. The 

 Northern Shoshone have also been observed with 

 brush lodges and tipis in the same camp. These 

 instances are probably examples of a transition in 

 culture. Thus, we see how even among the less civilized 

 peoples all are prone to be influenced by the culture of 

 their neighbors and that in consequence, cultures grade 

 into one another according to geographical relations. 



Another curious thing is that all the tribes raising 

 maize used earth or bark houses, but as a rule lived in 

 them only while planting, tending, and harvesting the 

 crop. At other times, they took to tipis. Even in 

 mid-winter the Omaha and Santee-Dakota lived in 

 tipis. 



A unique and exceptional type of shelter was used 

 by the Wichita and the related Caddoan tribes of the 

 Southeastern culture area. This is known as a grass 

 lodge. It consists of a dome-shaped structure of poles 

 thatched over with grass and given an ornamental 

 appearance by the regular spacing of extra bunches of 

 thatch. Formerly, each house had four doors, east. 

 west, north, and south, and four poles projected from 

 the roof in the respective directions. 



