4  I  ib.,  loi.  s  I  ib.,  648.  «  I  ib.,  723.
7  I  ib.,  736.  ^3  Herrera,  225.  9  I  Clavigero,  366.
»o  2  Bancroft,  403.  "  2  ib.,  405.  "  2  ib.,  406.
'3  2  ib.,  407.
ANIMAL-WORSHIP.  251

In  many  of  their  animal-dances,  all  the  tribes  are  accus-
tomed to  clothe  themselves  in  animal  dress  and  assume  animal
characters.
The  Sioux  have  a  bear-dance  previous  to  starting  on  a  bear-
hunt,  in  which  they  sing  to  the  bear-spirit.^  This  dance  has
religious  significance,  and  may  properly  be  termed  a  worship.
They  are  clothed  in  bear-skins,  or  at  least  some  portion  of
one,  and  imitate  closely  the  movements  of  that  animal.  They
never  neglect  this  ceremony,  for  if  they  did  they  would  have  no
success.
The  eagle-dance  among  the  Choctaws  is  a  very  pretty  scene
gotten  up  in  honor  of  that  bird,  for  which  they  have  religious
regard.  They  are  decorated  with  eagles'  feathers,  and  the
dance  is  different  from  any  other,  consisting  in  hops  and  jumps,
in  imitation  of  that  bird.^

"  The  Tonkawas,"  says  Marcy,  "  like  all  the  aborigines  of
this  continent,  likewise  had  their  national  dances  for  different
important  occasions,  and  among  these  ceremonies  was  one
which  seemed  very  curious  and  entirely  different  from  any
other  I  had  heard  of  It  was  called  the  wolf-dance,  and  was
intended  to  commemorate  the  history  of  their  origin  and  crea-
tion. Their  traditions  have  handed  down  to  them  the  idea
that  the  original  progenitor  of  the  Tonkawas  was  brought  into
this  world  through  the  agency  of  the  wolves.  The  dance  is
always  conducted  with  the  utmost  solemnity  and  secrecy.  .  ..
