FARQUHARSON AND TIFFANY ANTIQUITIES OF ILLINOIS. oG3 



some idea of the stature of the inound-buiklers, but the couclusions are 

 very imperfect, perhaps necessarily so. Enough was learned, however, 

 to safely warrant the conclusion that none of the bones examined be- 

 longed to an individual much, if any, higher than six feet, thus doing 

 away with the assumption, made by some persons at the time of the 

 exhumation, that some of the mound-builders were giants. 



Table No. 2. — Stature estimated from length of hones. 



1. The total length of the body is made out by adding two inches to that of the skeleton. 



2. These diameters, taken near the middle of the length of the tibia, and at its most prominent part, 

 show its flatness and the comparative sharpness of the shin-bones. 



3. From an average of five skeletons in the table having a humerus measuring 33 centimeters. Here 

 it may be remarked that in the French table there is a greater disparity in the height of the skeleton, 

 in regard to the humerus, than either to the femur or tibia, one skeleton of 1.86 meters having a humerus 

 of only 33 centimeters. 



The skulls and long bones of the modern Indians used in the com- 

 parative measurements in these tables, were those of male Sioux Indi- 

 ans from Minnesota, who died in this vicinity, while in captivity on ac- 

 count of their complicity with the massacre in that State, so that there 

 can be no doubt of their identity. 



It only remains to remark, in conclusion, that an unusual number of 

 perfect sets of teeth were found in the mounds examined. These teeth 

 are invariably without any signs of decay, of almost flinty hardness, 

 and very much worn away, apparently from the attrition of very hard 

 particles in the food, probably the siliceous outer coats of some kind of 

 grain or seeds. 



THE SHELL-BED SKULL. 



By A. S. Tiffany, of Davenport, Iowa. 



On the Eock Island arsenal-grounds, near the western extremity of 

 the island, there had been an excavation about three hundred feet long 

 and eight feet deep. At a depth of three feet from the top there was a 

 deposit of shells, mostly nnios, but including melantho snbsolUhi, and 

 two or more species of helix. This shell-bed at this exposure varies 

 from six to sixteen inches thick. 



