grand councils are convened for special purposes.

_METHODS OF CHOOSING AND INSTALLING COUNCILLORS AND CHIEFS._

The four women councillors of the gens are chosen by the heads of
households, themselves being women. There is no formal election, but
frequent discussion is had over the matter from time to time, in which
a sentiment grows up within the gens and throughout the tribe that, in
the event of the death of any councillor, a certain person will take
her place.

In this manner there is usually one, two, or more potential
councillors in each gens who are expected to attend all the meetings
of the council, though they take no part in the deliberations and have
no vote.

When a woman is installed as councillor a feast is prepared by the
gens to which she belongs, and to this feast all the members of the
tribe are invited. The woman is painted and dressed in her best attire
and the sachem of the tribe places upon her head the gentile chaplet
of feathers, and announces in a formal manner to the assembled guests
that the woman has been chosen a councillor. The ceremony is followed
by feasting and dancing, often continued late into the night.

The gentile chief is chosen by the council women after consultation
with the other women and men of the gens. Often the gentile chief is a
potential chief through a period of probation. During this time he
attends the meetings of the council, but takes no part in the
deliberations, and has no vote.

At his installation, the council women invest him with an elaborately
ornamented tunic, place upon his head a chaplet of feathers, and paint
the gentile totem on his face. The sachem of the tribe then announces
to the people that the man has been made chief of the gens, and
admitted to the council. This is also followed by a festival.

The sachem of the tribe is selected by the men belonging to the
council of the tribe. Formerly the sachemship inhered in the Bear
gens, but at present he is chosen from the Deer gens, from the fact,
as the Wyandots say, that death has carried away all the wise men of
the Bear gens.

The chief of the Wolf gens is the herald and the sheriff of the tribe.
He superintends the erection of the council-house and has the care of
it. He calls the council together in a formal manner when directed by
the sachem. He announces to the tribe all the decisions of the
council, and executes the directions of the council and of the sachem.

Gentile councils are