14 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll, to 



The Latest work on the McElmo Ruins, one part of which has already 

 appeared, is a joint contribution by Morlcy and Kidder. 1 In this 

 publication accurate dimensions and sites of ruins in the McElmo 

 and Square Ruin Canyons are given, with other instructive data. 

 Morlcy and Kidder have designated the ruins by Arabic numbers, 

 and in a few instances by names. The author has preserved these 

 numbers so far as possible in his account. 



The following ruins in Ruin Canyon and neighboring district cov- 

 ered by this reconnoissance are described by Morley and Kidder: 



No. 1. Wickyup Canyon, Ruin 1 and Ruin 2, "Boulder Castle." 



No. 2. Two towers in Ruin Canyon: 1* near the mouth; l b , Towers 

 on or near forks, No. 1 [Iiovenweep Pueblo], No. 2 [Hovenweep 

 Castle.] 



No. 3. [Square Tower.] 



No. 4. [Oval Tower.] 



No. 5. [Tower.] 



No. 6. [6.] 



No. 7. [Boulder Cliff-house.] 



No. 8. Twin Towers. 



No. 9. [9.] 



No. 10. [Unit-type House.] 



No. 11. Gibraltar House and rum. [Stronghold House.] 



No. 12. [12.] 



The pueblos and cave dwellings of the ''Pivotal group" (those on 

 or near the promontory at the junction of the McElmo and Yellow 

 Jacket Canyons) were also studied by the authors. 



Almost the whole article by Morlcy and Kidder, which the editor 

 announces will be completed in a future number of "El Palacio," 

 is devoted to descriptions of buildings 2 in Ruin and Road (Wickyup) 

 Canyons and the ruins of the "Pivotal group" at the base of a 

 promontory between the junction of the Yellow Jacket and McElmo. 



CLASSIFICATION 



In the classification by Morley and Kidder and the majority of 

 writers, sites rather than structural features are adopted as a basis, 

 although all recognized that large cliff-dwellings like Cliff Palace are 

 practically pueblos built in caves. In the following classification 

 more attention is directed to differences in structure than to situation, 

 notwithstanding the latter is convenient for descriptive purposes. 



1. Villages or clusters of houses, each havmg the form of the pure 

 pueblo type. The essential feature of the pme type is a compact 



1 The Archaeology of McElmo Canyon, Colorado. El Palacio, vol. iv, no. 4, Santa Fc, 1917. 



2 The dimensions of buildings ami towers given in this article arc welcome additions to our knowledge, 

 but from lack of ground plans one can not fully determine the arrangement of rooms designated in indi- 

 vidual ruins. 



