32 Ancient Remains, Animal Mounds, fyc. in Wisconsin. 



purpose as described in Plate VI, fig. 1 ; the outlines of these 

 works are easily traced, although for the reasons above assigned, 

 their elevation at this time does not exceed thirty inches. From 

 the excavations around many of them, it is apparent that they 

 must have been constructed with materials obtained adjacent to 

 them. Some of these mounds, however, seem to have resisted the 

 destructive action of time ; those toward the southwest end of the 

 group, are in height six feet ; the distance from one extreme of 

 the series to the other, is about four hundred and sixty yards ; 

 consequently, in order to include the whole cluster in one plate, 

 it became necessary to reduce the scale, by doing which they 

 appear diminutive, although they are constructed upon a scale 

 equally grand as that of others. The site here is a beautiful 

 level plain of arenaceous loam, being free from trees or shrubbery, 

 (substratum, a fine white saccharoidal sand-rock,) so that a per- 

 son from the eminence of the most prominent ones, may at a 

 glance view the whole group. Human bones have been found 

 in many of these. 



Fig. 2 represents a species of ancient works, which, under 

 various modifications, are very numerous, and comprise about one 

 fifth of the embossed works in this region. This figure agreeing 

 with the location, it being about " one mile from the English 

 Prairie," is probably one of the groups referred to in an article 

 on the subject of antiquities, published in Yol. xxxiv, of this Jour- 

 nal, by R. C. Taylor, Esq., a copy of which, from an esteemed 

 friend, I was fortunate in obtaining, which document, in the ab- 

 sence of other works upon antiquities, has rendered me essential 

 service in my observations upon this intricate subject. In regard 

 to the "group of six," spoken of by Mr. T., I have frequently 

 traversed the forest where they are said to exist, in search of fig- 

 ures having projecting beaks, as represented in Plate II of his ar- 

 ticle, but I have discovered none approaching that form nearer 

 than that one under consideration.* Those figures near the Blue 

 Mounds and the Four Lakes, which were personally examined 

 by Mr. T., I am happy in saying, are faithfully represented, and 

 many of them I have had the gratification of visiting. 



* It must not from these remarks be inferred, that I have the remotest intention 

 of accusing either Mr. T. or his informant of deceiving the public, by fictitious 

 statements. 



