88 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



Northeru Kiiilroad. The village of Wyalusing is picturesquely situ- 

 ated on a narrow strip of alluvial land between the Mississippi river 

 and the bluff, which here rises abruptly in a single step to the height 

 of 350 feet. These bluffs, as those elsewhere in Grant county, are the 

 margin of a plateau which extends eastward from the escarpment. 

 The margin of this plateau is cut by numerous streams and is for the 

 most part too rugged for cultivation. In the marginal region the 

 ridges separating the streams are often narrow, but have rounded 

 and somewhat level crests, which were favorite resorts of the mound 

 builders. 



Upon the steep timbered bluff that rises above the village of Wya- 

 lusing is found a line of earthworks following the crest of a nearly 

 straight ridge. The principal work of the group is an animal effigy, a 

 quadruped. It is of large size and is in an excellent state of preser- 

 vation. Singularly enough it does not occupy the crest of the ridge 

 which runs parallel to the river, but lies in a shallow depression in the 

 slope between the crest and the margin of the steep bluff overlooking 

 the village. The head is toward the south and the legs extend down 

 the gentle slope toward the river. The form is perfectly preserved, 

 the body is well rounded and the outline is everywhere distinct. So 

 perfect is the preservation that the extension representing the ears or 

 horns shows a slight parting at the outer end, and the two legs of each 

 pair are separated by a shallow depression throughout their entire 

 length. The feeling for correct form possessed by the builders even 

 in this rude method of realization is indicated by the outline which 

 defines the forehead, by the curves of the back and belly, and of the 

 gambrel joints of the legs, as well as by the relief which expresses 

 something of the rotundity and relative prominence of the ijarts. 

 What additional details of form have been effaced by the lapse of 

 time can not be determined. 



The length of the work from the forehead to rump is 115 feet; the 

 length of the head is 47 feet; the distance from the feet to the back, 

 representing the full height of the figure, is 50 feet; the width of the 

 body is 28 feet, and the width of the legs about 20 feet. The relief 

 does not exceed 34 feet at any i)oint, the ears, nose, and legs not 

 exceeding half that. 



Some years ago Mr. D. W. Derby, an enthusiastic collector of movind 

 relics, dug into the body of this ertigy about the locality of the heart, 

 and found human bones and an earthen vessel about the size of the 

 crown of ail ordinary hat. The vessel had a flat bottom, but was so 

 fragile from decay that no part of it could be preserved. 



liunning apjmtximately parallel with the greatest length of the ani- 

 mal figure and occupying the crest of the ridge is a row of oblong 

 mounds. These vary from a straight line to accommodate themselves to 

 the crest, and in orientation vary from S. 25° E. to S. 15 W. The largest 

 one is 100 feet in length and the shortest 60 feet. The width averages 



