slightly investigated. It is probable that it was general in the
principal tribes from the natural manner in which it springs up as a
necessary member of the organic series, and from the uses, other
than governmental, to which it was adapted.

In some of the tribes the phratries stand out prominently upon the
face of their organization. Thus the Chocta gentes are united in two
phratries which must be mentioned first in order to show the
relation of the gentes to each other. The first phratry is called
"Divided People," and contains four gentes. The second is called
"Beloved People" and also contains four gentes. This separation of
the people into two divisions by gentes created two phratries. Some
knowledge of the functions of these phratries is of course desirable,
but without it, the fact of their existence is established by the
divisions themselves. The evolution of a confederacy from a pair of
gentes--for less than two are never found in any tribe--may be
deduced theoretically from the known facts of Indian experience.
Thus the gens increases in the number of its members and divides
into two these again subdivide and in time reunite in two or more
phratries. These phratries form a tribe and its members speak the
same dialect. In course of time this tribe falls into several by the
process of segmentation, which in turn reunite in a confederacy.
Such a confederacy is a growth, through the tribe and phratry, from
a pair of gentes.

The Chickasas are organized in two phratries, of which one contains
four and the other eight gentes, as follows:

I. Panther Phratry.