306 Forty-third Report on the State Museum. 



rapidly thinning out to the north and south, giving the drainage way 

 a width of only a few feet. No bones were found in the larger sink- 

 hole, but four small fragments of charcoal were subsequently found 

 in the clayey muck of the smaller hole, from which the ribs were 

 taken. These, it would appear, had been washed out of the sink-hole 

 above. Indeed, the finding of so few of the bones of the skeleton of 

 this mastodon or elephant, and the ankle-joint bones of the undeter- 

 mined ruminant, which were evidently deposited when held together 

 by the ligamental tissue, and all these in so small a bog-hole, indicate 

 that in all probability the hole had been flushed at times of high 

 water, and the remnants of the skeletons carried away. 



The fragment of pottery found is made of coarse, angular (crushed ?) 

 fragments of quartz and feldspar (orthoclase), mixed with clay. Its 

 greatest thickness is five-eighths of an inch. A portion of the upper 

 edge of the pot to which it belonged is retained. The curvature of 

 the lower portion of the fragment, if carried out in a circle, indicates 

 a vessel having a diameter of slightly more than eight inches, flaring 

 a little toward the mouth. The outer surface is marked by low, some- 

 what irregular, transverse ridges, perhaps from wear being less 

 conspicuous than those upon the inner surface, where, instead of 

 being transverse, they are longitudinal. The fragments of charcoal 

 vary in size from two inches in diameter down, and appear, with one 

 exception, to have been thoroughly burned. 



The peculiar occurrence of the pottery and charcoal at the bottom 

 of this deep hole in the clay of the larger bog is difficult to explain. 

 No evidence was apparent, in the course of the excavation, that this 

 hole in the clay had been artificially dug out or filled. The area over 

 which the relics were scattered was not more than four feet in diam- 

 eter, through a depth of eight or ten inches. To assume that these 

 relics had sunk to this depth when the black earth was in a semi-fluid 

 condition, asks too much of chance, for though so ponderable a 

 substance as a piece of pottery might work its way through the soft 

 mud to a considerable depth, the numerous pieces of charcoal would 

 hardly and in unison do this. 



As to whether the bones (tusk, ribs and zygoma) found are those 

 of the mastodon or elephant it is difficult to decide, none of them 

 showing distinctive characters. The probabilities are, however, 

 undoubtedly, that they are mastodonic. 



I am, sir, very respectfully yours, 



J. M. CLAKKE. 



October 1, 1887. 



