Proceedings of Scientific Societies. 377 



seven acres inclusive of the ground covered by its base. On the sur- 

 face of the general mound are erected, at irregular intervals, 15 smaller 

 mounds, one of which is 38 feet in height, and the remaining 14 varying 

 from 4 to 12 feet in height. The mound consists of clay, with some ad- 

 mixture of earth, and its sides seem to have been faced with rudely formed 

 brick, made from the adjacent clay. The bricks are found after digging 

 to the depth of some 13 or 15 inches into the embankment. The western 

 front is ascended by two causeways, which are distinctly marked, and are 

 found one at each angle of the mound. At the eastern extremity is an- 

 other causeway entrance to the enclosure, and near to this entrance, and 

 outside the embankment, may be traced, for some distance, an ancient 

 fosse. The three causeways are of easy ascent, and wide enough for the 

 introduction of burthens. Upon the north and south sides of the great 

 mound, and at points nearly opposite to each other, covered entrances or 

 archways were constructed, but they are now so obstructed as to be diffi- 

 cult of examination. Before the forest was cleared by civilized culture, 

 tradition relates that extensive avenues reached north, south, east, and 

 west, thus affording, from the elevation of the great mound, a most attrac- 

 tive prospect. 



The result, of the partial examinations made, shows that portions of the 

 mound were used as places of interment by the Indians. The cranium 

 secured by Prof. Forshey was of the tribe of Flatheads. 



Earthen vessels of rude construction, and probably used frequently as 

 receptacles for the remains of those interred, or as mementos at their fun- 

 eral obsequies, are found. Various objects from the mound have reached 

 the Lyceum at Natchez. 



The committee, consisting of Mr. Lea, Dr. Hays, and Mr. Ord, to 

 whom was referred a communication, entitled " remarks on the dental 

 system of the mastodon, with an account of some lower jaws in Mr. Koch's 

 collection, St. Louis, Missouri, where there is a solitary tusk on the right 

 side, by William E. Horner, M. D., professor of anatomy in the Univer- 

 sity of Pennsylvania," reported in favor of the publication, which was di- 

 rected accordingly. 



Dr. Horner inquires into the mode of formation of the teeth of the mas- 

 todon, and compares it with that of the elephant and of man. The teeth 

 of the mastodon are all formed upon one type of configuration, the num- 

 ber of denticules excepted; they therefore, like those of the elephant, do 

 not admit of a division into incisors, cuspidati, and molares, as in some 

 other animals. The teeth are all molars. The lower jaw itself resem- 

 bles somewhat a human lower jaw cut off in front of the molar teeth, and 

 then joined in the two posterior segments. These teeth invariably suc- 

 ceed each other from behind ; the hindmost, as they emerge, pushing the 

 others forward, and out of their places, until the latter all drop out, and a 

 large solitary tooth is finally left on each side of each jaw. 



