82 



It has been wrought by dressing off the borders of a very large speci- 

 men of fresh water mussel, a species of llnio. It is evident botli from the 

 incompleteness of the original tracing on its concave surface and from 

 the natural form of that species of shell that one-fonrth, more or less, of 

 the entire length of the original ornament has been brolcen off while yet in 

 use, and the broken edge dressed to improve its appearance. 





■<-., 



There are four perforations. As to the design, it has been engraved by 

 a steady hand, and the fine grooves afterwards neatly stained Avitli dark 

 paint. 



The photograph would probably represent the original somewhat more 

 perfectly had not the hnder varnislied it, supposing it would otherwise 

 be likely to crumble, as did the larger part of the two skeletons. It was, 

 however, well preserved. 



Professor Holmes of the Smithsonian Institute and Professor Warren 

 K. Moorehead both regai'd it as an interesting find, and one or both of them 

 will probably tell us more about what it is supposed to mean. So far as 

 I have yet been able to learn, inscriptions on shell are more common 

 further south, say in Tennessee and the Gulf States, than in the latitude 

 of central Indiana. 



This design is in some respects allied to what may occasionally be 

 found among the ruins of Central America, judging from pictures ob- 

 served in archeological reports. 



I am indebted to David Newby of Spiceland for the specimen and to 

 Professor Collins of Earlham for the photograph. 



