Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 10 (North American).djvu/17

Rh aboriginal. The motives which prompt the several treatments are interestingly various: thus, the impulse which lies behind Plates II, VIII, IX, XVIII, XIX is purely the desire for pictorial illustration of a mythic story; mnemonic, historical, or heraldic in character prompted by the desire for record are Plates V, X, XI, XVII, XX, XXI, XXX, XXXII, XXXIII; while the majority of the remaining examples are representations of cult-objects. Through all, however, is to be observed the keen aesthetic instinct which is so marked a trait of North American tribes.

The author desires to express his sense of obligation to the editor of this series, Dr. Louis H. Gray, for numerous and valuable emendations, and to Dr. Melvin R. Gilmore, recently of the Nebraska State Historical Society, now Curator of the State Historical Society of North Dakota, especially for the materials appearing in Note 58 and Plate XIV. HARTLEY BURR ALEXANDER.