THOMAS] PENNSYLVANIA. 499 



oil level fields overlooking Pigeon creek and on the same elevation as 

 the upper terrace. On Mr. Colvin's farm over one hundred of these 

 graves have been opened, nearly all having children buried in them; 

 not over a dozen adults have been found. In most of the graves noth- 

 ing but bones has been found; in a few, some simple ornaments, such 

 as beads, were discovered; and from two of them vessels of pottery 

 were obtained. The general arrangement is the same in all. From 8 

 to 12 inches under the surface is a large tlat stone; on removing this, 

 which is always upon or just under the yellow subsoil, a hole is 

 found varying from 12 to 24 inches in diameter and from 10 to IS inches 

 in depth. In this hole is found the skeleton which had been doubled 

 up until the knees t(mch tlie skull and the feet are brought in contact 

 with the pelvis. Such was ISIr. Colvin's description, and a personal 

 examination of three graves showed its correctness. In the first, 

 measuring 12 inches across and 10 inches deep, covered by a stone 24 

 by 28 inches, were found mere traces of bone. In the second, of the 

 same size, but covered by a stone somewhat larger, were the remains 

 of a child not over 2 years old; with this were found five canine teeth 

 of some carnivorous animal, pierced at the roots. In the third grave, 

 24 inches across and 14 inches deep, was the entire skeleton of a child 

 about 9 years old. There was a large stone over this grave, as over 

 the others, and in addition three smaller ones. The latter had fallen 

 in and broken several of the bones, including the skull. 



At Shire Oaks, on a point overlooking the river, are two mounds 

 which were opened by some miners, a large one on the break of the slope 

 and a smaller one farther back. Both resembled ordinary earth mounds, 

 but had stone graves inside. Of the larger they could give no account, 

 but their description of the smaller is as follows : 



A quantity of dirt was thrown out and presently they found a skull; 

 continuing to dig downward they gradually imcovered the rest of the 

 body to the pelvis; this was at the original surface. The legs were 

 extended at right angles to the body. The whole was inclosed by a 

 boxlike arrangement, 6 feet in length and 3 feet in- breadth at the 

 widest part, elliptical in shape. Lying across the feet were a polished 

 green syenite celt 7 inches long; a very symmetrical, thin, finely chipped, 

 delicately tinted knife of chalcedony, 7^ inches long; and a slate pipe 

 carved to represent a catamount, with the bowl opening at the back 

 of the neck, the stem hole near the lower end of the back and with 

 shell rings set into deeply countersunk holes to represent the eyes. 



WARREN COUNTY. 

 MOUNDS XEAR IRVINETON. 



The mounds at this place are three in number, situated on the level 

 bottom half a mile southeast of Irvineton and near tlie point where 

 lirokenstraw creek flows into the Alleghany river, on the Irvine farm. 

 They are of tlie ordinaiy conical tyi)e, Imt much worn down, having 



