Plate 2. Altar and ash-birds. _Upper left_, Quapaw permanent cement altar of the John Wilson Big Moon rite. The ash mounds are the “graves” of John Wilson and Jesus Christ; the W’s or M’s on each side of the heart signify “Moon-Head” or “Wilson.” The nearest heart of the mound is the Heart of the World, that under the fire the Sacred Heart of Christ, that on the moon the Heart of Goodness on which the father peyote rests. Seven lines around the apron represent week days, the twelve lines the months of the year. The ashes mean the parting of the Red Sea, or mean to some the sheep and the goats. This altar was made by the authorised builder, Victor Griffin, and his assistant, Charley Tyner. _Upper right_, Symbolic peyote painting by Mopope (Kiowa) showing sacred staff, seven-marbled drum, drumstick, gourd rattle, doctoring feathers, and altar or moon with ash crescent. The water bird intermediary is carrying a prayer from the father peyote on the altar across the ritual fire to the great spirit indicated by the seven rays of feathers of the rising sun. The lightning lines from the god-head result from the artist’s visits to the Southwestern pueblos. _Center_, A fine example of the scissors-tail ash bird made at an Oto meeting near Red Rock, Oklahoma. _Lower_, An unusually fine example of the water bird ash bird made at a Shawnee meeting near McCloud. The burnt sticks finish out the scissors-tail of the bird. The smokestick in the foreground is carved with native and Christian symbols (now in Peabody Museum, Harvard University). (It is believed that the Yuchi altar of Petrullo, Plate 2, is erroneously figured and is of the order of those shown here.) PLATES [Illustration: [LA BARRE] PLATE 1 PEYOTE LEADERS] [Illustration: [LA BARRE] PLATE 2 ALTAR AND ASH BIRDS]