EECOED OF PROCEEDINGS, 



257 



mal has a broad flat snout, resembling the bill of a duck. The lower 



parts of the body have 

 been rudely, but dis- 

 tinctly carved to repre- 

 sent tail and limbs. In 

 addition to these im- 

 provements upon na- 

 ture's work,the artist has 

 inserted a pair of eyes, 

 consisting of fragments 

 of crystal — apparently 

 quartz. At least they are 

 hard and sharp enough to 

 Fig. 19— Vertical view. scratch glass readily. 



These are apparently fastened in with some kind of cement. The flint 

 base is worn as if by much handling. The gleam of the eyes, when 

 placed in a strong light, and the peculiar twist of the head give the 

 creature a most ferocious aspect. 



Mr. A. D. Churchill presented the following report : 



On the East Davenport Mounds. 



On Thursday, July 2.5th, 1878, a group of ancient mounds in East 

 Davenport were examined by a party consisting of Messrs. W. H. Pratt, 

 Gass, Harrison, C. L. Pratt, Milstead and Churchill. They are situated 

 on the edge of the bluff overlooking the river in Camp McClellan, 300 

 yards from the southern line, and thirty yards west of the eastern boun- 

 dary of the Russell estate in Davenport Township. There are three 

 mounds in line with one another, ranging north-east by south-west. 

 They are thirteen to eighteen yards apart. The western and central 

 mounds are each about nine yards in diameter, and two and one-half 

 feet in height. The eastern mound is fifteen yards in diameter and 

 three feet in height. In the two smaller mounds excavations were made 

 seven by four feet, and three and one-half feet in depth. In the larger 

 mound an opening was made nine by eight feet, and five feet in depth. 

 The mounds are of mixed earth, clay and black soil, built upon the orig- 

 inal surface soil of the bluffs. Growing upon the central mound are 

 black oaks six to eight inches in diameter. No remains of any kind 

 w^ere found indicating the purpose for which the mounds were con- 

 structed. 



Mr. W. H. Pratt reported the opening of four Sioux Indian 

 graves at Camp McClellan by a party from the Academy, who 

 secured three good skulls, one of which is especially interesting 

 on account of a bright red stain which covered almost the en- 

 tire skull. 



In view of the recent decease of Prof. Joseph Henry, Secre- 



