e Coyote preferred by the hunter of the Mountain Sheep;
that of the Wild Cat, by the hunter of the Antelope; that of the Wolf,
by the hunter of the rare and highly-valued O-ho-li; those of the Eagle
and Falcon, by the hunter of Rabbits; and that of the Mole, by the
hunter of other small game.

The exception to this rule is individual, and founded upon the belief
that any one of the gods of Prey hunts to some extent the special game
of all the other gods of Prey. Hence, any person who may discover either
a concretion or natural object or an ancient fetich calling to mind or
representing any one of the Prey gods will regard it as his special
fetich, and almost invariably prefer it, since he believes it to have
been "meted to" him (a['n]-ik-tchi-a-k'ia) by the gods.

THEIR CUSTODIAN.

Although these fetiches are thus often individual property, members of
the Sa-ni-a-k'ia-kwe, and of the Eagle and Coyote gentes, as well as
priests included in the Prey God Brotherhood, are required to deposit
their fetiches, when not in use, with the "Keeper of the Medicine of the
Deer" (Nal-e-ton i-lo-na), who is usually, if not always, the head
member of the Eagle gens.

It rests with these memberships and these alone to perfect the fetiches
when found, and to carry on at stated intervals the ceremonials and
worship connected with them.

When not in use, either for such ceremonials or for the hunt, these
tribal fetiches are kept in a very ancient vessel of wicker-work, in the
House of the Deer Medicine (Nal-e-ton in-kwin), which is usually the
dwelling place of the keeper.

THE RITES OF THEIR WORSHIP.

THE DAY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE FETICHES.

The principal ceremonial connected with the worship of the Prey Beings
takes place either a little before or after the winter solstice or
national New Year.

This is due to the fact that many of the members of the above-mentioned
associations also belong to other societies, and are required on the
exact night of the New Year to perform other religious duties than those
connected with the fetich worship. Hence, the fetiches or gods of prey
have their special New Year's day, called We-ma-a-wa u-pu-k'ia te-wa-ne
("The day of the council of the fetiches").

On this occasion is held the grand council of the fetiches. They are all
taken from their place of deposit and arranged, according to species and
color, in front of a symbolic slat altar on the floor of the council
chamber in a way I h