s
the clan or gens, which is composed of a number of consanguinei, claiming
descent from a common ancestor and having common taboos; the term clan
implying descent in the female line, while gens implies descent in the
male line. Among the Dakota, as among the cegiha and other groups, the man
is the head of the family.

Several of the Siouan tribes are divided into two, and one (the Osage) is
divided into three subtribes. Other tribes are composed of phratries, and
each subtribe or phratry comprises a number of gentes. In some tribes each
gens is made up of subgentes, and these in turn of a lower order of
groups, which are provisionally termed sections for want of a better
designation. The existence of these minor groups among the Omaha has been
disputed by some, though other members of the tribe claim that they are
real units of the lowest order. Among the Teton many groups which were
originally sections have become gentes, for the marriage laws do not
affect the original phratries, gentes, and subgentes.

The state, as existing among the Siouan tribes, may be termed a kinship
state, in that the governmental functions are performed by men whose
offices are determined by kinship, and in that the rules relating to
kinship and reproduction constitute the main body of the recognized law.
By this law marriage and the mutual rights and duties of the several
members of each body of kindred are regulated. Individuals are held
responsible, chiefly to their kindred; and certain groups of kindred are
in some cases held responsible to other groups of kindred. When other
conduct, such as the distribution of game taken in the forest or fish from
the waters, is regulated, the rules or laws pertaining thereto involve, to
a certain extent, the considerations of kinship.

The legislative, executive, and judicative functions have not been
differentiated in Indian society as found among the Siouan groups. Two
tendencies or processes of opposite character have been observed among the
tribes, viz, consolidation and segregation. The effects of consolidation
are conspicuous among the Omaha, Kansa, Osage, and Oto, while segregation
has affected the social organization among the Kansa, Ponka, and Teton.
There have been instances of emigration from one tribe to another of the
same linguistic family; and among the Dakota new gentes have been formed
by the adoption into the tribe of foreigners, i.e., those of a different
stock.

Two classes of