98 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [bth. ann. 37 



seem to be practically unanimous in explaining them as either the 

 base of lodges or as defenses (figs. 9, 10, 11). 



Effigy Mounds 



Effigy mounds (figs. 4, 5, 11-18) are discussed at some length 

 in the following pages. The following types are found: The 

 bird, the bear, the panther or water-spirit, the deer (uncommon), 

 the wolf (uncommon), the turtle, and the so-called man. The 

 commonest by far are the bird, bear, and water-spirit, and this 

 would seem to corroborate the statements of living Winnebago 

 that these mounds represent the clan effigies, for these three clans 

 were by far the most important and numerous in the tribe. Certain 

 of the clans are apparently not represented, particularly the elk, 

 the buffalo, thf snake, and the fish, while but isolated examples 

 of two fairly important clans, the wolf and the deer, are found. 

 If the so-called turtle mounds (fig. 16) were really intended to 

 represent that animal,' we would have the only instance of a 

 large number of mounds that can not possibly be connected with the 

 Winnebago clans, for the tribe never had a Turtle clan. However, 

 these mounds may not really have been intended to represent turtles. 

 On the other hand, it is not absolutely necessary to believe that the 

 effigy mounds represented only clan animals. It is possible that 

 some were erected for religious purposes. 



Owing to the fact that so many effigy mounds have been destroyed 

 in the last two or tlu-ee centuries, it is quite impossible to be certain 

 of the distribution of specific types. Even those still in existence 

 have not all been carefully noted and described. Until this is done, 

 no even approximately definitive conclusions can be drawn as to the 

 reasons for the prevalence of certain types in one area and others in 

 other areas. To give some idea of their distribution, however, we 

 will describe briefly their distribution in those sections of Wisconsin 

 that have been fairly thoroughly studied: 



Lake Mendota. — Two types of bird, bear, water-spirit, and the 

 very rare effigy of a frog. 



Lake KosJikonong. — Two types of bii'd, water-spirit, frog? mink? 

 and an unknown mammal. 



Forid du Lac. — Water-spirit, one type of bird, turtle. 



Lake Waubesa. — Water-spirit, three types of bird, bear, turtle, 

 and lynx. 



Turtle Creek, Rock County. —Water-spirit, turtle. 



Winnebago County. — Water-spirit, bear, bird. 



Lake Wingra. — Water-spirit, turtle, tlu-ee types of bird, and bear. 



Mantiowoc County. — Bird, water-spirit, turtle. 



Sauk County. — One type of bird, bear, mink, water-spirit. 



