Editorial Miscellamj. 93 



— We have italicised the .statement relative to the deposit of vegetal )le 

 matter upon the original surface, for the purpose of directing attention 

 thereto, and eliciting inquiry as to the average rate of such depof^it in 

 the ordinary forests. Although the accumulation of decayed vegeta- 

 tion, year by year, is perhai:)s hardly susceptible " of such accurate 

 measurement as the alluvium of rivers, which, like the Nile, are subject 

 to periodic overflow, yet data could perhaps be gathered from which 

 approximate results might be ascertained. 



— The same diligent observers send us also an account of an explora- 

 tion made a week or two previous, which we reproduce as bcarhig 

 upon the inquiry suggested by Prof. Claypole : 



" The mound opened is situated seven miles south of Columbia, 

 about midway between the Pulaski and Campbellsville roads, near 

 Bigbyville, upon a hill-side commanding one of the most beautiful pros- 

 pects m the country. It would measure aljout thirty feet in diameter 

 at the base, and about seven feet in perpendicular height. All that 

 we found was a portion of one skeleton — some of the feet bones, por- 

 tion of a thigh bone, and a fragment of an arm. We could trace 

 other portions, but they were too much decomposed to be taken out. 

 On the face and both hands were plates of mica — one of which I send 

 you. Near one of the hands were two teeth of some animal ; one 

 crumbled upon exposure to the air, the other is nearly perfect, which 

 please accept, and tell us what it was used for. Both were exactly 

 alike. Could not find any traces of pottery, or implements of any 

 kind. From what I can learn, this section of country was not used 

 by the Indians as a place of residence, but simply as a hunting 

 ground — their regular camps being to the west of this, in Lawrence, 

 Hickman, and othe» counties." 



The tooth received was that of a bear. It was ground flat on op- 

 posite sides, on one of which were two small holes, drilled through in- 

 to the nerve-cavity. The specimen was identical with those obtained 

 recently by Dr. Hill, from the aboriginal graves upon Brighton Hill, 

 near Cincinnati, and supposed to have been attached, by means of a 

 string passing through these holes and the nerve-cavity, to the breast 

 of the wearer, either as an emblem of prowess or badge of office. 



The discovery of these teeth, prepared in precisely the same man- 

 ner, at points so distant from each other, v.'ould seem to favor the lat- 

 ter supposition, inasmuch as such coincidence could hardly be acci- 

 dental (as would be the case if worn to indicate the personal achieve- 

 ment of the wearer), and therefore presupposes a conventional sig 

 nification common to widely separated tribes, which " indicates, to a 

 certain extent, a common origin, or, at least, a close intercourse," es- 



