SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF WINNEBAGO INDIANS. 
33 
lodge of the Buffalo clan is on the waygeregi side of the village 
circle, although the Buffalo clan is one of the mqnegi clans. In 
explanation of this fact we might, on the one hand, assume that its 
relationship to the chief clan influenced its position in the village, 
or that it always was there. The latter seems rather improbable, 
in the face of the unanimity of agreement as to its inclusion 
among the mqnegi clans, and we may, therefore, provisionally 
accept the hypothesis of a shifting of position from one side 
to the other. As this might entail a possible readjustment of 
the Buffalo clan, as regards exogamy, we tried to obtain as many 
instances of Buffalo intermarriages as possible. No case of inter- 
marriage with the warjgeregi clans was found. However, as 
only eight cases were instanced, no safe inference can be drawn. 
The “servant” relation of the Elk clan to the Thunderbird 
expresses itself in the fact that the former takes care of the 
fire-places of the latter while on the warpath, etc., and that 
the members are supposed to distribute the fire to the other 
clans. In the social customs this relationship is perhaps shown 
by a certain preference of the Elk to intermarry with the Thunder- 
bird clan. This preference is not reciprocal. The word prefer- 
ence is used with the added significance of being consciously 
expressed, and differs from a tendency to intermarriage which 
may exist between the clans, but which is not present in their 
consciousness. Some Winnebago informants even went so far 
as to postulate a hitcak'O'ro relation between the Elk and Thunder- 
bird clan. 
Among the Osage a marked development of the “servant” 
relationship is found. 
Viewed from a broad point of view, the reciprocal social 
and religious services of one clan toward another in the hitcak'rro 
and “servant” relations are similar in nature to the political 
functions of the clan, and they may be taken as another indication 
of the association of political, social, and religious functions 
with a strongly individualized social unit. 
The Specific Possessions of the Clan. 
Among the Omaha, a number of clans have in their posses- 
sion certain objects, around which not merely the clan but also 
