THE OREGON NATURALIST. 
OREGON SHELL “MOUNDS. 
Mounds, which are so plentiful in the 
Mississippi Valley and Eastern States, 
are unknown in Oregon. The nearest 
approach to them are the shell heaps 
found at various places on the Oregon 
seacoast. Some of these extend over a 
considerable area, the one near Seaside, 
Clatsop County, covering about an acre 
in extent, and varying in depth from 1 to 
8 feet. It is formed of millions of large 
clam shells, periwinkles mussels, ctc., the 
former predominating. Intermixed with 
these are found the bones of elk, deer and 
other animal and fish bones, and | have 
seen whale vertebrae scattered about that 
had been exhumed. In carrying on an 
examination I also exhumed a sea lion’s 
tooth. These shell heaps are considered 
very ancient by the Clatsop Indians of the 
present day, antedating the memory of 
the oldest inhabitants of the tribe. The 
location was undoubtedly the site of a 
village in remote times. With the char- 
acteristic habit of laziness found in all 
Indians, they found it more convenient to 
throw their food refuse just outside the 
door of the tepee or wickiup. When the 
pile assumed too great proportions they 
simply moved their place of residence. 
Bone implements are most numerous in 
these heaps, but stone relics are occasion- 
ally found. The field has been so thor- 
oughly gone over by archeologists and 
curio-seekers that finds of relics are be- 
coming rarer every year. [| append here- 
with drawings of two awls, a harpoon 
head and chisel, all of bone. Fig. ris 
made of the wing bone of some large bird, 
is hollow, and not unlike a large pen at 
the point. The chisel (Fig. 3) is made of 
the prong of an elk’s antlers, sharpened 
atone end. It is very seldom that these 
elics are found in perfect condition, as 
time has usualiy caused them to decay 
and crumble away. 
I also send drawings of some imple- 
ments from different parts of the country 
117 
Bone Implements, showing size. 
wich may be Of interest. Fig. 5 is what 
is commonly denominated a ‘‘sinker’’ or 
‘“‘plummet,’? and came from California. 
My idea is that it was used in the process 
of weaving to hold down the ends of the 
