Indian Mounds and Skidls in Michirjan. 39 



tured iu pounding the grains used as food, and in cracking the bones 

 of animals for the extraction of the marrow, indications of which are 

 not wanting. The pottery found in both these mounds exhibits an 

 unusual variety of patterns ; though not a single utensil was taken out 

 entire. 



For want of time the investigation of the northern part of the 

 mound, which is elevated at its center from two to three feet above 

 the portion covered with the ash-bed, was confined to three points. 

 No additional information was obtained, hoAvever, further than estab- 

 lishing for it-a like origin with the other mounds. 



All the northern portion of the mound, and also the sides of the 

 southern portion are covered with a large second growth of trees. 

 These consist chiefly of White Pine (P'ums strohus L.), Scarlet Oak 

 (Quercus coccinea Wang.), White Oak (Q. alba L.), and Basswood 

 (Tilia Americana L.). The trunks of some of these trees have a diam- 

 eter of from eighteen inches to two and one half feet. A few decayed 

 stumps of the original forest still remain ; these average four feet iu 

 diameter. 



Mound No. 3. — -After the exploration of four other mounds, three 

 lying northward, tlie fourth northwestward of Mound No. 2, which 

 contributed no additional facts of particular value, other than their 

 identity of origin with the rest of the group, attention was next 

 directed to Mound No. 3, which proved to be the most interesting of 

 the entire series. This mound is situated three quarters of a mile 

 northeastward of Mound No. 1. It is about five hundred feet in 

 length, and in breadth varies from seventy to ninety feet ; while its 

 height above the surface of Lake Huron is twelve feet, or not more 

 than five feet above the general level of the surrounding land. In 

 general direction it corresponds to the other mounds, and there is little 

 in its appearance to suggest its character or call the attention of any 

 other than a practiced eye. 



A large excavation was made at its widest part, and about its cen- 

 ter. Within two feet of the surface the bones belonging to a single 

 body were unearthed, but in so tender a condition, from age, that they 

 mostly crumbled to pieces. A few bones of birds and fishes were 

 found with them. Some of the decayed roots of an oak tree stump, 

 ten feet to the westwai'd (and which will be further alluded to), had 

 grown over and around these bones. The excavation was deepened, 

 widened, and carried farther to the eastward, opening a trench to the 

 depth of six feet, but only small fragments of human bones resulted. 

 The trench was then opened to the westward, toward the stump of the 

 oak. When at the depth of five feet we came to a skull (No. 1, 



