MOUNDS IN WISCONSIN. 247 



expands to the width of 40 feet, and the wings are each 300 feet long. 

 The head is perfectly formed, so that the beak is quite distinct, and 

 measures 15 feet in length. The other two eagles are somewhat smaller 

 in all of their dimensions. Near the left wings of two of these birds, 

 the form of a deer, 3 feet in height, is easily recognized. The body of 

 the deer is Go feet long, and the legs measure 14 feet in length ; the 

 head measures 12 feet from the tip of the nose to the origin of the 

 antlers. These latter are each 10 feet long, with branches extending at 

 nearly right angles from their center. Near the right wing of the third 

 bird is the form of a bear. 



In Sauk County, one mound is made in the form of an animal, which 

 also resembles a sqnirrel, whose body is 160 feet long, with a remark- 

 ably long tail, measuring 320 feet. 



Dr. Lapham, in his "Antiquities of Wisconsin," describes a mound 

 which represents a turtle measuring 6 feet in height, 5G feet in length, 

 with a caudal appendage 250 feet long. Another ancient mound is in 

 the form of a night-hawk, whose expanded wings measure 240 feet in 

 length. 



While many of the ancient mounds represent different kinds of ani- 

 mals and birds, others are circular in form, and a few are oblong. 



There are several ancient mounds located upon the northeastern 

 shore of Lake Mendota and on the lawn of the former residence of 

 Ex-Governor Farwell. 



The largest of these mounds is circular in form, and measures 188 feet 

 in circumference and 35 feet from the base to its summit. It is elevated 

 96 feet above the lake, and was the first explored. It is the highest of 

 all the mounds in this group, and located in a central position. From 

 its elevated site it could have been used for observation and as a means 

 of communication by signal with other mounds in the adjacent country. 

 The view from its summit extends from 8 to 10 miles in all directions. 



In commencing the explorations, it was decided to sink a perpendicu- 

 lar shaft, about 6 feet square, through the center of the mound from the 

 apex to the bottom. After removing the surface, a rich black earth, 

 similar to what is found along the shore of the lake where muck accumu- 

 lates or on the prairie bottom, was encountered to the depth of 5 feet. 

 At this depth and on the western side of the shaft stones, composed 

 of magnesian lime and yellow and red sandstone, were found. Below 

 this layer of earth there was a bed of yellow clay 4 feet in depth, through 

 which a course of similar stones was found, arranged in a circular man- 

 ner, and passing off toward the opposite side of the shaft. Some of 

 these stones were quite large, and presented a flat surface, while a few 

 of them bore indications of having been broken from the stratum of lime- 

 stone, which is found just below, along the shore of the lake. These 

 had been worn quite smooth in places by the continual washing of the 

 water. Beneath the bed of yellow clay a course of rich earth, similar 

 to the first layer, was found. This deposit was 4J feet in depth. After 



