AKT. 32 INDIAN" VILLAGE SITE IN MISSISSIPPI COLLINS 21 



In g is shown a piece of fire-biirned clay from a house wall, with 

 clearly visible impressions made by the split canes over which the 

 clay had been daubed. 



Charred corncobs. — In some of the post holes which contained 

 charcoal and ashes, pieces of charred corncobs were found. (PL 

 11, hr^n.) These were submitted for examination to Dr. G. N. Col- 

 lins, of the Department of Agriculture, a foremost authority on 

 maize, who has kindly submitted the following statement : 



The specimens of maize are pieces of cobs of 12-rowed ears. The cobs are 

 small for 12-rowecl ears. Of the modern varieties grown by the North American 

 Indians, all that we have seen with such small cobs have only 8 rows of seed. 

 The only types with small cobs and moi"e than 8 rows with which we are 

 familiar are from Peru. 



The best preserved of the Mississippi specimens has very prominent glumes re- 

 sembling in this particular specimens from the caves of the Ozark Mountains. 



No statements are warranted regarding the antiquity or primitive nature 

 of the types represented by any of the specimens. It should be kept in mind, 

 in this connection, that the early stages in domestication and improvement of 

 maize are unknown. Prehistoric examples may differ from modern types 

 but it may not be said they are more primitive. 



ANIMAL REMAINS 



In the trenches and post holes were found quantities of the bones 

 and shells of animals that had been eaten by the Indians. Many of 

 the mammal bones had been split and broken to obtain the marrow, 

 and some had been burned. The animal remains, in order of their 

 relative abundance, occurred as follows : Mammal bones, moUusk 

 shells, turtle shells, bird bones, fish bones. For the identification of 

 the animal remains I am indebted to Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, Dr. 

 Herbert Freidmann, Messrs. H. H. Shamel, W. B. Marshall, and 

 E. D. Reid, all of the United States National Museum. 



To judge from the relatively great number of deer bones {Odocoi- 

 leus virginiarms loukianae), this was the most common food animal. 

 Other forms represented were: Beaver (Castor canmlensis), raccoon 

 {Procyon lotor), black bear {Euarctos americanus), gray fox 

 (Urocyon cinereoargenfem) , opossum (Didelphis virginiana pigra), 

 skunk {Mephitis mesomelas)^ bob cat {Lynx rufus). No dog bones 

 were found. 



Fresh-water mussel shells were fairly abundant. The common 

 form was Plectmnerus trapezoides, with some representatives of the 

 genus Lampsilis. 



Large numbers of unbroken turtle carapaces were found in the 

 trenches. These were of the small box turtle {Terraptne Carolina 

 Lin.). Others represented by shell fragments were the soft-shelled 

 turtle {Amyda spinifera Le Sueur), the snapping turtle {Chelydra 

 serpentina Lin.), and a slider {Pseudemys sp.)- 



