52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



It was deemed advisable to commence the preparation of a complete 

 report of the work of tlie division, with a view of having it ready for 

 l)ublication by the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887. IMr. 

 Middleton was called to the office, where he remained, preparing maps 

 and plats and cataloguing the collections, until the latter part of April, 

 188G, when he again entered upon field work in the southern part of 

 Illinois. 



Mr. Rogan was in charge of the offioe from the 1st of July to the 

 middle of August, Professor Thomas being in the field during that time. 

 He was engaged the remainder of the year in exploring the mounds of 

 Northern Georgia and East Tennessee. 



liev. S. D. Peet was employed for a few months preparing a prelim- 

 inary map showing the localities of the antiquities of Wisconsin and 

 the areas formerly occupied by the different Indian tribes which are 

 known to have inhabited that region. In addition he prepared for use 

 in the report notes on the distribution and character of the mound and 

 other ancient works of Wisconsin. 



Mr. Smith was engaged during the month of June in exploring mounds 

 in Southwestern Pennsylvania ; and Mr. Eeynolds during the same time 

 in tracing and exploring the monuments of Western New York. The 

 amount of field work done was substantially the same as in previous 

 years. About 3,500 specimens were obtained, all of which, collected 

 before June 30, 188G, have been numbered, catalogued, and turned over 

 to the National Museum. 



Explorations in Ancient and Modern Btone Villageti. — During the sum- 

 mer the Director, accompanied by Mr. James Stevenson, revisited por- 

 tions of Arizona and New Mexico in which mauy structures are found 

 which have greatly interested travelers and anthropologists, and about 

 which various theories have grown. The results of the investigation 

 have been so much more distinct and comprehensive than any before 

 obtained that they require mention. 



On the plain to the west of the Colorado River and north of the San 

 Francisco Mountain there are mauy scattered ruins, usually having one, 

 two, or three rooms each, all of which are built of basaltic cinders and 

 blocks. Through the plain a valley runs to the north, and then east to 

 the Little Colorado. Down the midst of the valley there is a wash, 

 through which, in seasons of great rainfall, a stream courses. Along 

 this stream there are extensive ruins built of sandstone and limestone. 

 At one place a village site was discovered, in which several hundred peo- 

 ple once found shelter. To the north of this and about 25 miles from the 

 summit of San Francisco Peak, there is a volcanic cone of cinder and 

 basalt. This small cone had been used as the site of a village, a pueblo 

 having been built around the crater. The materials of construction were 

 derived from a great sandstone quarry near b^', and the pit from which 

 they were taken was mauy feet in depth and extended over 2 or 3 acr^s 



