Some Notes on the Craw-Fish.—Indian Mills. 23 
der part of its tail numerous eggs fastened to small filaments; 
these eggs are of about the size and color of hemp seed. 
These it carries about until sometime in May or June, when 
they hatch; but they still continue to cling to the filaments until 
they have gained sufficient strength to start out alone, they are 
then about 4 inch long. 
While young they grow more rapidly than when they are more 
advanced in age, they grow a little more than an inch in the first 
year. 
Speaking from personal observations they grow to be about 
four inches in length whenthey have obtained their full growth. 
The mouth is situated directly in front of where the large 
claws join the body, and is marked by a pair of jaws running 
parallel to each other and pointing forwards. 
It sheds its shell every few weeks even to the covering of its 
eyes, after which it is soft for two or three days, it grows only 
during this state. 
While in this condition it conceals itself beneath weeds and 
stones, because it is now defenceless. 
The shell begins to form and is hardened at the end of about 
four days, when it regains its old confidence. 
The cray-fish has the power of reproducing its limbs, when it 
has lost one through some accident. 
Take it all in all they are very interesting, and there is always 
something new to be found out about them if they are closely 
watched and studied. E. Starks. 
INDIAN MILLS. 
It is a well known fact that the Indians raised corn. They 
certainly had a way to grind or mash it. It is supposed by some 
that the mortars sometimes found, were used for this purpose; 
they may have been used in this way, but it is more probable 
that they were used for pulverizing roots, etc., by pounding with 
a pestle, for medicine. I have found several pieces of stoné, 
with rounded edges, about two inches thick, and worn very 
smooth. The whole piece had been about thirty-two inches in 
circumference. The other part was made of stone shaped like a 
very shallow mortar, and made to fit the buhr loosely, the corn 
being placed between them, and ground by hand, something 
after the style of ancient Egyptian grinding. The stone of 
which the buhr was made was hard and granular, and when 
two pieces were struck together, like flint, they would “‘strike 
fire.” This kind of a mill was used by the Catfish, and perhaps 
also by the Mohawk, Indians in Southwestern Pennsylvania. 
