G04 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS. 



laud. In Iowa and soutberu Minnesota, wliore these mounds have been 

 most studied by me, they may be seen for many miles over the level 

 prairies of these regions. 



During the summer and early autumn they are usually clothed with 

 a very luxuriant and rank growth of perennial plants, most prominent 

 among which are observed Calamagrestis canacJensis. Vernonia pascicu- 

 lata, etc. These rise to a height of from 4 to 13 feet above the surface 

 of the ground at the base of the mound, and thus constitute a very con- 

 spicuous feature of the surface. 



Although the external appearance of these mounds is analogous to 

 that of some of the Indian mounds of Iowa and other States, still they 

 may be distinguished from those of the mound builders by their rel- 

 ative position and the region occupied, as well as by their greater irreg- 

 ularity of contour. 



For more than twenty-five years I have resided in the prairie regions 

 of the West, and have thus been afforded a fine opportunity to stiuly the 

 origin and development of these " singular" mounds. By far the greater 

 number of them owe their origin to the pouched gopher {Saccomyidce 

 btirsaruis), that year by year has made additions to them by dirt brought 

 forth in the extension of their under-ground channels until they finally 

 assume the proportions now seen. Upon the death of the animal, or 

 for some other cause, these mounds and channels are finally abandoned 

 and the mounds left to be taken possession of by the indigenous plants 

 of the region, which are always, under such circumstances, of much 

 ranker growth than is usual under other conditions. 



Others of these mounds are developed by the American badger {Taridw 

 americana) and the prairie wolf (0</n/s latrans). The mounds formed by 

 the badger and wolf may be distinguished from those of the pouched 

 gopher by their large and partially filled burrows. The burrows of the 

 badger are always located upon the highest and dry est portions of the 

 region, and those of the prairie wolf usually upon the border of " runs" 

 or general surface drainage depressions of the country. These mounds 

 have sometimes been described and published as works of the " mound- 

 builders." 



