FIFTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I908 



67 



in their composition, the technic is bold in its execution and the 

 effect is striking without being offensive. In combining designs 

 of straight lines such results are not easy to obtain and the success 

 of the Iroquois designers in effecting such pleasing combinations 

 is a tribute to their artistic skill. 



Seneca societies 



During the winter of 1904-5 the Archeologist made the discovery 

 that many of the so called dances of the Iroquois, such as the Bear 

 dance, the Bird dance or the Buffalo dance, were but public cere- 

 monies of secret or semisecret societies. He has continued his 

 studies of the rites of the native societies of the Iroquois, has 

 translated many rituals, and recorded the ceremonial songs and 

 chants on phonograph records. 



Prefatory to his notes on the animal societies and other societies 

 of the Senecas, the Archeologist makes the following observations 

 which may be of some interest to those unacquainted with folk 

 societies of aboriginal or primitive peoples: 



Secret societies of the Senecas 



The instincts and necessities of primitive man were similar to 

 those of other animals. Self-preservation was the first instinct 

 and all others were subordinate. In order to preserve himself 

 it was necessary to obtain food. He destroyed animals for two 

 purposes, that he might eat their flesh and that he might not be 

 destroyed. Animals likewise sought men for food. Naturally this 

 was not agreeable to man, being against his primal instincts. Man, 

 being a thinking animal, able to compare, began to think whether 

 it was not as disagreeable for beast animals to be eaten by men 

 as for human animals to be eaten by beasts. An idea of this kind 

 once implanted resulted in infinite development and gave rise to a 

 great number of beliefs and customs. 



Probably no people realized so fully that they were animals as 

 " primitive man." He saw himself one of the species of animals 

 among a W)st of others. But though he realized this, there was 

 not a moment that he did not regard himself the superior animal 

 and think that all others should be subservient to his wishes. At 

 the sam^ time he thought that beasts had rights that should be re- 

 spected. He closely observed the beasts and learned whatever he 

 could from them. He supposed that other animals were constituted 

 mentally much as he. Observing their seeming display of intelli- 



