l8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I26 



artifact types in the western Plains, the complex — or predominant 

 complex if the site has been occupied more than once — at 48FR23 is 

 probably the earlier. The abundance of manos and metates suggests 

 a heavy reliance on gathering, perhaps in contrast to a primarily 

 hunting orientation on the part of the inhabitants of 48FR84. Labora- 

 tory analysis of the collections from these two sites and from others 

 in the area may permit the definition of still other complexes and go 

 a long way toward outlining the history of the exploitation of this 

 little-known area over what will undoubtedly prove to be many 

 centuries of occupation. 



Brenner Reservoir site. — This reservoir, to be created by an earth- 

 fill dam on Horse Prairie Creek in Beaverhead County, Mont., will 

 flood approximately 750 acres. Five small surface camp sites, yield- 

 ing scattered flint artifacts, were found in the area during the 2-day 

 reconnaissance in July 1950. The yield of artifacts from all the sites 

 was very scanty, and the evidence indicates that in every case the 

 cultural deposits are thin and do not require further attention. 



Buffalo Bill Reservoir site. — This project, on the Shoshone River 

 in Park County, Wyo., consists of an enlargement of an existing 

 reservoir. It was visited by the reconnaissance party during a single 

 day in June 1951. Examination of the terrain that will be flooded 

 by the increased water storage failed to reveal any evidence of aborigi- 

 nal occupation. 



Bull Creek Reservoir site. — The site of the dam that will create 

 this reservoir lies about 5 miles southwest of Buffalo, Wyo., on Bull 

 Creek, an intermittent tributary of Clear Creek in the Powder River 

 drainage. It lies in the eastern foothills of the Bighorn Mountains, 

 and vegetationally it is characterized by sparse short grasses and a 

 lack of trees. Five sites of archeological interest were observed by 

 the reconnaissance party during two inspections of the few-hundred- 

 acre area in June 195 1. Two of these consist of numerous stone 

 circles — approximately 25 circles in one site (48JO201), approxi- 

 mately 100 in the other (48JO204) — and yielded chipped-stone arti- 

 facts, and another is a series of small stone cairns which may cover 

 burials. The two remaining sites are a single isolated stone circle 

 and a small camp. In view of our lack of knowledge relative to the 

 prehistory of this vicinity and of "tipi-ring" sites in general, some 

 further investigation of at least two of these sites would be desirable. 



Clark Canyon Reservoir site. — The dam site is on the Beaverhead 

 River just below the junction of Red Rock and Horse Prairie Creeks, 

 in Beaverhead County, Mont., approximately 18 miles southwest of 

 the town of Dillon, The reservoir will cover an area of approxi- 



