30 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGlt [bull. 32 



uncouth) carvings and increased their Hfe-Hke appearance. I recog- 

 nized at a glance when I first saw them in the evening twiUght of the 

 25th of October, 18S0, the intention to represent panthers preparing 

 for a spring. The length of each statue is 1.80 m, (6 feet), of which 

 0.74 and 0.71 m., respectively (or a little over one-third), make the 

 extended tails; the height is nearly 0.60 m. (2 feet), and the breadth 

 varies between 0.35 m. across the shoulders and 0.43 m. across the hips 

 (14 and 17 inches). The space between the heads and the tails of both 

 figures measures 0.20 m. (8 inches) and 0.53 m. (22 inches). 



''An irregular pentagonal enclosure surrounds the images, made of 

 large blocks, flags, and slabs of volcanic rock, some of which are set in 

 the ground like posts, while the majority are piled on each other, so as 

 to connect the upright pillars. The perimeter of this enclosure is 

 20.8 m. (68 feet); the height of the tallest post, 1.25 m. (4 feet); and 

 the length of the longest slab, 1.58 m. (5 feet 2 inches). On the south- 

 eastern corner is an opening one meter (39 inches) wide, forming the 

 entrance to a passage lined by two stone hedges like the enclosure, 

 running out to the southeast to a distance of 5.85 meters (19 feet). 

 The whole is much disturbed, and its original appearance was cer- 

 tainly more regular than at present. When I last saw the monument, 

 it looked like a diminutive and dilapidated Stonehenge." 



No. 23. La Cueva Pintada {" the painted cave ' ') , plate x, h. — ' ' In the 

 gorges both north and south of the Potrero are quite a number of 

 artificial caves. Those on the north, in the Canada Honda and the 

 upper part of the Canon del Alamo, are fairly preserved. The upper 

 part of that gorge is wooded, and the caves were thus somewhat 

 sheltered. They offer nothing worthy of special mention, and do not 

 compare in numbers with the settlement at the Rito. The Queres 

 say that these caves also are ' probably ' the work of their ancestors. 

 Those on the south side of the Potrero de las Vacas are much more 

 worn, and are connected with the interesting natural rock shelter 

 called by the Queres Tzek-iat-a-tanyi, and now usually termed 

 Cueva Pintada or the painted cave. This large cavity measures 17 

 meters (55 feet) across its entrance, its depth is 14 meters (46 feet), 

 and at an elevation of 17-meters (55 feet) above the floor is a hemi- 

 cycle of pictographs painted in red ochre, to which there is an ascent 

 by means of old and much-worn steps in the rock. The pictographs 

 represent some of the well-known symbols of the pueblos, such as 

 clouds, sheet lightning, the sun, dancing-shields, and male and female 

 dancers. Their execution is very rude. The diameter of this hemi- 

 cycle is 10 meters (32 ^ feet). Besides these aboriginal daubs, there 

 are modern ones of equal artistic merit, among which the cross is 

 prominent. Cave dwellings have been excavated in the rear wall of 

 the cave, and 15 meters (48 feet) above the floor are indentations 



