70 TRANSAC. OF THE ACAD. OF SCIENCE. 
larity consists; chiefly, in the greater projection of the occiput to 
one side than the other, showing sometimes a surprising degree 
of deformity. The skulls of the American fami y, on the contra- 
ry, are more elongated ; there is little expansion at the sides, but 
a characteristic narrowness, and elongation, from the face to th 
occiput, inclusive ; they possess more symmetry, besides, than is 
usual in the skulls of the other family. 
Now, two of the skulls, which I recovered from these graves, 
belong, undoubtedly, to the American family, and the rest to the 
Toltecan family. The elongated (American) skulls were found 
in a burying-ground on the bluffs, in graves Nos. 3 and 5, amidst _ 
and were buried here, together. In the same way we find, in 
Mexico and South America, skulls of the ancient and modern Pe- 
11. How far back we have to go for the existence of the peo- 
ple, who built these graves, is difficult to decide. All we know 
about the stay of the Toltecans in the present United States is, 
for instance, the Kaskaskias; are the authors of these graves; but 
no modern Indians, within my knowledge, bury their dead bodies 
in this manner ; and even the oldest inhabitants of that part of 
Illinois, who have lived there both with the Indian and the buf- 
falo, do not recollect any such custom among these Indians in 
burying their dead. It seems, therefore, more rational to sup- 
pose, that these graves were b i 
which disa be ‘ 
along and aside of the bluffs. I am credibly informed, too, t 
they exist in many parts of Indiana and of Ohio, and along near- 
iy “8 ea tgs Valley. If these accounts should ue 
correct, these stone graves i coincide ; 
the range of Indian ath = eee! 
