2 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. IX. 



was made at the head of the mound, the result being to show that here 

 also comparatively recent burials had been made, but lower than eighteen 

 inches from the surface there was no sign of bones." 



From his report, however, it appears that no objects of manufacture 

 were found by Mr. Boyle, and only a few human bones were found in the 

 largest mound, and a few skeletons in the others. 



I visited the place during the past summer (1909), made a preliminary 

 examination, and, in behalf of the University of Toronto, obtained per- 

 mission from the owner to excavate the mounds and make collections 

 therefrom for the University. On my return from the Western Provinces 

 in October, I entered upon the work of excavation, and the purpose of 

 this writing is to show the results of my work thus far in the largest tumulus 

 of the series, my intention being to complete the investigation of the entire 

 group of seven mounds during the present year. In general it may be 

 stated, that, some of the group are nearly circular in form, others are oval 

 or elongate. But, the largest mound is long and somewhat convolute 

 or serpentine in shape. It varies in width and also in height. Its length 

 is 192 feet. The width near the eastern extremity is twenty-eight feet; 

 it soon narrows towards the west to a width of twenty-one feet which con- 

 tinues to a point about seventy feet from the extreme western extremity, 

 and here for a distance of more than forty feet the mound is thirty-seven 

 feet wide. Where its width is twenty-eight feet its height is nearly. six 

 feet ; where the mound is only twenty-one feet in width its height is only 

 three and one-half feet ; and where it is thirty-seven feet in width its height 

 is seven feet, its greatest height being in that portion which has the greatest 

 width. The extreme western portion of this mound is low and narrow. 

 At about the highest part there are two oak trees of considerable size 

 growing upon it. See plate I, Fig. 2. The larger of these is about six feet 

 in circumference. The decayed stump of another tree on this part of .the 

 mound had a measurement of thirty inches in diameter. 



This is the earthwork to which the name "serpent" was given by 

 Mr. Boyle. That it was intended by its builders to represent a serpent 

 in shape is somewhat doubtful, there being little evidence in support of 

 the view. There are but two convolutions in it ; whereas there are seven 

 convolutions in the Adams County serpent mound of Ohio which latter 

 is also more uniform and natural in form. It is possible that this Peter- 

 boro County mound may be an aggregation of ordinary burial mounds 

 erected in this way at different times for convenience' sake, and perhaps 

 also for family reasons. In the great plains of the western States and 

 Canada instances of several mounds attached together and forming one 



