BUREAU OF ETHiSrOLOG"^. 9 



earthen pyramid of the South, the embankment, the effigy, the stone 

 cairn, house site, «&c. Every hitherto known variety as to construc- 

 tion, as well as quite a number decidedly different in details, has been 

 examined. Some of the latter are very interesting and furnish im- 

 portant data. Particular attention has been paid to this branch of the 

 work, because the mode of construction and the methods of burial in 

 the ordinary conical tumuli furnish valuable data in regard to the cus- 

 toms of the builders and aid in determining the archaeological districts. 

 Many ancient graves and cemeteries and several caches and cave de- 

 posits have also been explored. 



The number of specimens obtained by the division since its organiza- 

 tion is not less than thirty-eight thousand; iully one-half of these were 

 discovered by the assistants during their explorations; the remainder 

 were obtained by donations and purchase, though not more than |500 

 have been expended by the Bureau for this purpose. 



The specimens procured by the field assistants in person constitute 

 by far the most valuable portion ot the collection, since the i)articulars 

 regarding their discover^^ and surroundings are known. Among them 

 will be found not only nearly every variety as to material, form, and 

 ornamentation hitherto obtained in that part of the United States east 

 of the Rocky Mountains, but also a considerable number of new and 

 interesting kinds. But, notwithstanding the success of the division in 

 this respect, not a single stone or tablet with anything like letters or 

 hierogly])hics inscribed on it, by which linguists might be able to judge 

 of the language of the mound builders, has been discovered. 



Some singular and rather unexpected discoveries, however, have been 

 made, which it may not be amiss to mention before giving a brief ac- 

 count of the collections. From a mound in Wisconsin were obtained a 

 few silver crosses, silver brooches, and silver bracelets, one of the last 

 with the word " Montreal" stamped on it in plain letters. These evi- 

 dently pertained to an intrusive burial. In another Wisconsin mound, 

 which stands in the midst of a group of etligies, was found, lying at tlu^. 

 bottom on the original surface of the ground, near the center, a genuine, 

 regularly-formed gunflint. In another, in Tennessee, sonui six feet high 

 and which showed no signs of disturbance, an old fashioned, horn- 

 handled case knife was discovered near the bottom. Far down in an- 

 other of large size and also in comparatively modern Indian graves, at 

 widely different points, have been found little sleigh bells, ])robably 

 what were formerly known as " hawk bells," made of copper, with ])('b- 

 ble and shell bead rattles, and all of precisely the same pattern and 

 finish. From a group in Northern Mississippi, in the locality formerly 

 occupied by the Chickasaw, were obtained a silver plate, with the 

 Spanish coat of arms stamped upon it, and the iron portions of a saddle. 

 At the bottom of a North Carolina mound i)nrts of an iron blade and 

 an iron awl were discovered in the liands of the principal personage 

 buried therein; with these were engraved shells and polished celts. 



