92 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



tioii difficult to decide. I cau only say that I represent it a.s 1 found 

 it." This sketch, which is not reproduced here, shows the trunk some- 

 what distinctly as curved inward toward tlie fore legs. It is very 

 doubtfiU whether this should be considered a part of the efflgy. If 

 both Mr. Warner and Col. Norris show correctly what they saw, the 

 trunk was evidently a shifting line of sand. 



Fig. 44. — Elephant nioimd, according to Middleton's survey in 1884. 



In November, 1884, Mr. Middleton was directed to call to his assist- 

 ance a civil engineer and make a regular and careful survey of this 

 mouud for the purpose of modeling it for the New Orleans Exposition. 

 This was very carefully done, and the result is shown in outline in Fig. 

 44. His ix'port in reference to it, as seen at that time, is as follows : 



" The ' Elephant mound ' is located on the southeast quarter of Sec. 

 21, T. 5 N., R. C W., Bloomington township, in a long rectangular 

 depression or rather cul de sac as shown in PI. iii, the level of which 

 is a few feet only above high water. The immediate spot on which it 

 stands is a little higher than the general level around it. For 200 

 yards north the surface is even, with a slight rise to the foot of the 

 bank. This bank is about 20 feet higher than the mound level. Going 

 east along line a h (PI. in) the ground at first dips slightly, but rises 

 a little as it approaches the foot of the bank, which is here about 30 

 feet above the mcnind level. South towards c the surface is flat for 

 more than 600 yards. The bank on the west is about the same height 

 as that on the east. About 200 yards south is an eflBgy mound, a bird 

 with outspread wings, head south. Near by there are a number of 

 round mounds placed in a line and two or three long mounds. 



"Plowing over it for a number of years has considerably reduced 

 the height of the elephant effigy, and has rendered the outlines of por- 

 tions of the head and back somewhat indistinct, but the body between 

 the legs is quite plain. It is gently rounded on the surface, the high- 



