HOLMES] ENGRAVINGS OF THE HUMAN FIGURE. 299 



After having examined this design so critically, it will be an easy 

 matter to interpret tliat engraved upon the tablet illustrated in Plate 

 LXXIl. Altliougii tbuud in widely separated localities, and engraved 

 in a somewhat diflerent style, they are identical iu type, and exhibit but 

 slight differences in detail. At the top of the plate we have the two 

 doubly conical perforations for suspension, but the double border line is 

 not completed above, being interrupted by the plumes from the head. 

 Tiie head itself is decorated with the nsual crown of radiating lines, 

 a small circle with a central pit represents the eye, and below this is a 

 well-defined mouth with a double row of teeth. Extending to the right 

 from the mouth is an appendage consisting of one straight and two in- 

 terrupted lines, which may be a part of the costume, or, since it issues 

 from the moutli, Tnay ])ossibly symbolize speech. The body, whicluis 

 short and straight, is divided vertically into three parts ; the central space 

 contains a large conical perforation, and is covei-ed with a lace-work of 

 lines; the lateral spaces are ornamented with rows of buttons or scales, 

 which consist of meagerly outlined circles with central dots. Tlie curi- 

 ously folded arms have precisely the same relative positions as the cor- 

 respondiiig members in the other specimt n, and the fingers touch the 

 boi'deriug line on the right and left, the thumb being turned backward 

 against the elbow. The legs are represented in a manner that suggests 

 a sitting posture, the rounded knees coming in front of and joining the 

 base of the body; in position and decoration they repeat the other speci- 

 men. The feet, or the rounded extremities that represent them, rest 

 upon the border line, as iu the case pi-eviously described, and terminate 

 in npturned talons that are long, curved, and jointed, and terminate in 

 square or blunt tips. Plume-like appendages are attached to the arms 

 and legs, and fill the spaces not occupied by the members of the body ; 

 these plumes or pendants are always represented by folded bands or 

 fillets which are ornamented on one side with dots. A plume attached 

 to the left side of the head is represented by two curved lines, which 

 reach to the edge of the shell. There are five jjerforations, two for sus- 

 pension, two at the sides of the face, and one near the middle of the 

 trunk. This specimen is in a veiy perfect state of preservation, the sur- 

 face being smooth and but little stained. It is somewhat pear-shaped, 

 resembling in this respect the mask like gorgets previously described. 

 It is about seven inches in heiglit and five in width, and has been made 

 from a very thick and compact shell, probably a Busycon. It was ob- 

 tained from a mound in Meigs County, Tennessee, and is preserved in 

 the Peabody Museum. In mechanical execution this specimen is much 

 superior to the preceding one ; the edges and surface of the shell are 

 nicely dressed, although the lines of the design are indifferently cut. 



Another unique shell gorget is presented in Plate LXXIII. It was ob- 

 tained from a mound in Southeastern Missouri, and is now in the posses- 

 sion of Professor Potter, of Saint Louis. The disk is about four and a 

 half inches in diameter, and was originally nearly circular, but the edges 



