NO. lO NEBRASKA ARCHEOLOGY STRONG II3 



on the other end. The majority of these specimens have a rusty red 

 and white motthng and are considerably eroded from previous ex- 

 posure. This condition, hke the method of boring the hole from 

 each end, is well shown in the illustration (pi. ii, fig. 2, e). Here 

 again recent exposure cannot account for the erosion, as the majority 

 of the beads came from various undisturbed areas. Unfortunately, 

 no samples of these beads were sent to Dr. Baker, hence the shell is 

 unidentified. To the unpracticed eye, however, they suggest a marine 

 rather than a fresh-water species of mollusk. 



Sixteen flattened and bored fresh-water snail (Ancidosa praerosa 

 Say) shells were found in association with the partial skeleton of 

 a child at a depth of 2 feet in the east-central portion of the pit (pi. 11, 

 fig. 2, /) . These have been ground flat on the ventral surface and a 

 rough hole broken at one end, which, with the natural aperture, might 

 be used for stringing the beads. According to Dr. Baker, this par- 

 ticular species is common in the Ohio and Wabash Rivers and south- 

 ward, but is not known to occur west of Illinois. He suggests they 

 were probably obtained through trade with Illinois tribes. A similar 

 type of shell, identically worked, was found by Harrington (1920, p. 

 229, fig. 37) in Caddo territory in Arkansas. A number of unworked 

 shells of this species were found in cache i, house i. Lost Creek. 



Associated with the same child's remains were five olivella {Olivella 

 jaspidca Gmelin) shells with a neat hole bored through the small end 

 in line with the natural aperture (pi. 11, fig. 2, h). This is a marine 

 species from the Gulf or Atlantic coast. They average 14 or 15 mm in 

 length, a small part of one end having been. flattened for boring. Un- 

 worked shells of this species were also found in cache i, house i, Lost 

 Creek. 



One other shell bead was found. It had a single hole pierced 

 opposite the natural opening. The species (Margiitella apicina Menke) 

 is a marine form from the Florida or Gulf coast. The present specimen 

 is 12 mm in length. 



A unique shell artifact carefully worked from some heavy shell, 

 probably that of the Gulf coast conch (Busycon perversus Linn.), 

 is hard to classify (pi. 11, fig. i, b). It has been neatly ground down 

 on all edges and has a bowllike depression in the larger end. Along 

 one side are two groups of bored holes, one group of two, the other 

 of three. In the group of three the two end holes open out to the 

 edge of the artifact. Except for the holes along the side, the shape of 

 the artifact most strongly suggests the shoehorn in our own culture. 

 It was probably used as part of a spoon or dipper. With a wooden 

 handle lashed along the side of the perforations it would serve the 



