254 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 52 



adhering to the roots, the larger portions of a humerus, a femur and 

 tibiae, fragments of other long bones, some defective phalanges, pieces 

 of ribs, clavicles and tarsal bones, and some slivers. 



The bones are dirty-yellowish in color, and all are covered with 

 traces, or well-marked pellicles, or small masses of firmly adhering, 

 gray, rough, sandy cement, which covers also more or less the medul- 

 lary surfaces and fills many of the cells of the spongy bones that were 

 exposed through fracture. When the bones were taken from the 

 earth, no such hard, firmly adhering coatii^g existed, except on those 

 that had been exposed. It was noted specifically that, had the 

 proper facilities been at hand, as a brush or water, the bones could 

 have been thoroughly cleaned on the spot with ease. The cement now 

 on them is the result of consolidation, in drying, of the loess that 

 was left adhering to the bones. In some of the medullary cavities 

 filled with loess this can still be removed easily and completely, 

 except at the ends, where it was exposed to the air, causing it to 

 harden and adhere to the bone.^ 



Because of their thin cement covering, the bones, when they strike 

 one another, sound like so many potsherds; but they are not visibly 

 petrified interstitially and preserve considerable animal matter.^ The 

 enamel of the teeth preserves its natural luster, is not much altered 

 in color, although sliglitly more yellowish, and shows no cracks. In 

 a number of places the larger fragments show old surface defects 

 and gnawings by rodents. 



Morphologically the lot, owing to its defectiveness, is of but little 

 importance. There is enough to show that the bones are those of a 

 strong adult man, not below general medium in stature. 



The skull was of moderate thickness. A fragment of the frontal 

 shows that there have existed pronounced supraorbital ridges, with 

 a tendenc}^ to extension into an arch, as occasionally seen in the 

 American natives. Nothing can be said as to size or form of the skull. 

 The teeth (molars) are of good size and two show considerable wear. 



The right humerus measured approximately 33 cm. ; the principal 

 diameters of its shaft at middle are 2.35 by 1.8 cm.; the form of the 

 shaft approaches prismatic. There are no specially noteworthy 

 features. 



The femora were strong, pilasteric, with very moderate upper 

 flattening. The right measures at about the middle of the shaft 

 3.3 by 2.G5 cm., giving the pilasteric index of 134-5. Other meas- 

 urements are impracticable. The shape of the shaft approximates 

 the prismatic. 



' A portion of a humerus of a bird, found with the human bones, looks quite fresh, but the surface is 

 already covered with thin grayish-white calcareous pellicles. 



2 Detailed chemical analysis was not practicable, the bones not arriving until six nionths after being 

 sent by express. 



