REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. ' 51 



from the prairies as well as from the bottom lands, and whatever finds its way 

 into the pit will stay there; it will not blow away again, as it would in 

 open ground. Weeds also will catch and retain much of this dust, which would 

 pass on over a dry surface. Consequently the allowance of an inch in a 

 century, which is the most that advocates of great age will allow for accumu- 

 lation, is too small. 



The topography of the region was essentially the same when these remains 

 were constructed as it is now. The hills and valleys were as they now exist ; 

 the erosion has been very slight as compared with that which has taken place 

 since the loess was brought above the water to which it owes its origin. This 

 statement is fully proved by the position of the mounds and lodge sites. Any 

 estimate of age must be only conjecture at best ; but it is safe to say that no 

 earthwork, mound, lodge site, or human bones along this part of the Missouri 

 River has been here as long as 10 centuries. 



With regard to the discoveries of human remains at exceptional 

 depths in loess formations on Longs Hill, near Omaha, Mr. Fowke 

 states that excavation of the site has been so exhaustive that further 

 investigations are out of the question, and that determinations of age, 

 therefore, must rest, in the main at least, with the published state- 

 ments of the original explorers. 



During recent years observers have reported the existence of 

 mounds and other evidences of prehistoric occupancy in western 

 Utah; these reports, however, contained little definite information 

 regarding the character of existing ruins and described only briefly 

 the artifacts associated with them. The possible relationship of 

 such remains with those of the ancient pueblo dwellers of Arizona, 

 New Mexico, and Colorado suggested the necessity of a preliminary 

 examination of the western Utah field, with the view of determining 

 the nature and range of former settlements, and also the desirability 

 of more detailed investigations. This work of reconnoissance was 

 commenced by the bureau in May and extended through the close of 

 the fiscal year, the field observations being made by Mr. Neil M. 

 Judd, of the National Museum. A group of small mounds near Wil- 

 lard, on the northeastern shore of Great Salt Lake, were first exam- 

 ined. Many other mounds in this locality have been completely 

 destroyed by cultivation during recent years, and of those remaining 

 all show modifications resulting from recent tillage. Four mounds 

 were selected for special investigation, and from these sufficient in- 

 formation was gathered to indicate the chief characteristics of the 

 primitive dwellings over which the mounds had accumulated. 



Following the work at Willard, an examination was made of 

 certain well-defined mounds on the outskirts of Beaver City, in 

 Beaver County, where three house sites of the Willard type were 

 found in close proximity to larger mounds containing groups of 

 dwellings. Two weeks' work resulted in the complete excavation of 

 one house group comprising 16 rooms and the partial examination 

 of a still larger group. The Beaver mounds, like those at Willard, 



