This page has been validated.
156
miscellaneous papers relating to anthropology.

small canals. Sculptures of this class occur from Bolivia to Columbia. Lower down, at Samiapata, are niches cut in the rock, and buried near them are inscribed stones. Similar ones, and less elevated, where the Cordilleras separate the territory of Chaco from Chiriquanes, occur in a real desert, and being on a declivity, have escaped the alluvial burial of the first. Inscribed on the stones found at Chaco and Samiapata and those of the niches are the same persons, figures and paintings as those on the murals of Palenque.

Graham, N. B., writes that there is a mound four miles south of England's Point post-office, Cherokee County, North Carolina, on the farm of Jesse Raper. It is the only mound within ten miles, is circular in ground plan, 120 feet in base diameter, and 90 feet apex diameter. It is composed of alternate layers of burnt clay, ashes, and soil.

Harlan, Calvin S., describes a cave in a rocky hillside, four miles from Ellora, Baltimore County, Maryland, known as the Old Indian Cave. It extends into the hill about 36 feet. Around the entrance are ashes and charcoal, which are also mingled with the earth about the floor; oyster shells, some of which show the action of fire, occur in the debris. Arrow-heads are also reported to have been found.

About one and a half miles from Sweet Air, in the same county, are the remains of an old Indian trail, leading from the Rocks of Deer Creek, in Harford County, a seat of the Susquehannocks, to a settlement south of Sweet Air post-office, at which spot arrow and spear heads have been found, together with several axes. Other localities in the vicinity of Sweet Air have been mentioned where chipped stone implements occur.

Homsher, G. W., Fairfield, Indiana, writes to the Institution that he is preparing maps and sketches of the mounds, circles, implements, &c., of Franklin County, in that State. Kales, J. W., sends the following report: Along the east shore of Cayuga Lake, New York, occur many relics of aboriginal populations. On the beach are found multitudes of notched sinkers. On the points these relics are most numerous. Several burial places have been discovered; one of them is on a small island opposite the village of Union Springs. The skeletons rest on a substratum of rock, about 2 feet below the surface. A large number of skeletons were unearthed about one mile north of Union Springs and 200 feet from the lake. They were promiscuously buried in a pit under about 2 feet of fine black earth, those of men, women, and children being intermingled. The skeletons of males indicated men of large size and great strength. No relics occurred in the pit.

Luther, S. N., writes to the Institution with reference to the former use of manganese as a degraissant in the manufacture of Indian pottery,