ABORIGINAL AMERICAN ZOÖTECHNY
By OTIS TUFTON MASON
INTRODUCTION
PLACE OF ZOÖTECHNY IN A GENERAL SCHEME OF ACTIVITIES
The activities of man are divided into classes according to the department of nature in which they take place; to wit, exploitation of the forces of nature; the invention of mechanical devices for the domestication and use of these forces; the activities associated with the mineral kingdom, with the vegetal kingdom, with the animal kingdom, and with the human species. All industries associated with the animal kingdom are included in the general term zoötechny.
AMERICA’S PLACE IN ZOÖTECHNY
In all times and places the human species has been intimately associated with animal life to obtain food, clothing, shelter, and material for its arts. The American continent, before its discovery by the whites, was inhabited by a subdivision of mankind that occupied the lower and middle stages of human culture. In a general way, therefore, the study of zoötechny in this area will make plain the same kinds of activities as those which existed in other parts of the world from the beginning of human life on the globe. Aboriginal American zoötechny embraces every phase of Indian life growing out of the connection between man and the beasts of the western hemisphere in precolumbian times.
A thorough prosecution of this study is very much embarrassed by intrusions from the eastern hemisphere in historic times. mitting all inquiries with reference to the origin of arts on this continent, there is no doubt that in every part of America, from
