274 ANIMAL MOUNDS. 



tributions contains the work, by Mr. Lapham, which gives the 

 most complete account of these interesting remains. 



Mr. Lapham adds a map, showing the distribution of these 

 curious earthworks. They appear to be most numerous in the 

 southern counties of Wisconsin ; and extend from the Missis- 

 sippi to Lake Michigan, following generally the course of the 

 river, and being especially numerous along the great Indian 

 trail, or war-path, from Lake Michigan, near Milwaukie, to 

 the Mississippi, above the Prairie du Chien. This, however, 

 does not prove any connection between the present Indians 

 and the mounds ; the same line has been adopted as the route 

 of the United States' military road, and may have been in use 

 for an indefinite period. 



The mounds themselves not only represent animals, such 

 as men, buffaloes, elks, bears, otters, wolves, raccoons, birds, 

 serpents, lizards, turtles, and frogs, but also some inanimate 

 objects, if at least the American archaeologists are right in 

 regarding some of them as crosses, tobacco-pipes, etc. 



Many of the representations are spirited and correct, but 

 others, probably through the action of time, are less definite; 

 one, for instance, near the village of Muscoda, may be either 

 " a bird, a bow and arrow, or the human figure." Their height 

 varies from one to four feet, sometimes, however, rising to six 

 feet ; and as a " regular elevation of six inches can be readily 

 traced upon the level prairies" of the West, their outlines 

 are generally distinctly defined where they occupy favourable 

 positions. It seems probable that many of the details have 

 disappeared under the action of rain and vegetation. At 

 present a "man" consists generally of a head and body, two 

 long arms and two short legs, no other details being visible. 

 The "birds" differ from the "men" principally in the absence 

 of legs. The so-called u lizards," which are among the most 

 common forms, have a head, two legs, and a long tail ; the 



