18b 1>avenim>rt academy ok natlkai. sciknces. 



Decembei; ;3()th, 1881. — Ivegular Meeting. 



Dr. C. H. Preston, Vice-President, in the chair. Ten members 

 present. 



Mr. Channing" Hall was electefl a regular member, and, in accord- 

 ance with the action oi" the trustees at their last meeting, enrolled on 

 the list of life members. 



Mr. Pratt presented some notes regarding an artesian well recent- 

 ly commenced at the glucose factory in this city. 



A committee was ajipointed, consisting of Prof. W. H. Barris, 

 Mr. C. E. Harrison and Mr. Wm. Riei)e, to present nominations 

 for the several offices to be filled at the annual election, occurring 

 on January 4rth, 1882. 



The following paper was presented: 



Mound Explorations in 1881. 



BY REV. ,J. GASS. 



MOUXDS IN KOCK ISLAND COfNTY, ILLINOIS. 



In section 11, Buffalo Prairie Township, Rock Island County, 111., 

 on a prominent point on the bluffs of the Mississippi valley, looking 

 southward, is situated a large circular mound composed almost en- 

 tirelyof sand, and from Avhich the surrounding population have for 

 many years taken sand lor building pui-poses. I n the removal of the 

 sand, human skeletons and other relics have occasionally been met 

 with. Some of the relics thus found, including two curved-base, 

 carved stone pipes, have been obtained for the Academy, and are 

 now in our museum. 



In May of this year I explored this sand-hill, and became convinc- 

 ed that it was indeed the work of the mound-builders. 



The center of the mound had been entirely dug away, and it was 

 probably about in the middle that the skeletons and relics were 

 found, twelve feet ])elow the surface. In my own search there I 

 found nothing except a good many human bones and one flint knife. 

 This mound has also been used by the Indians of tin; last centuries 

 as a burial-ground, as is shown by the many bones, near the surface. 



In the same section, about a quarter of a mile east of the mound 

 above described, I found a group of eleven mounds disposed in a 

 nearly straight line east and west. They an; situated on a ridge of 

 land between the edge of the bluff" and a ravine, and slo])ing toward 



