Makch 27, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



481 



discussed. While from their general position, 

 I have an opinion as to their age, I have given 

 them too little attention to make it worth 

 while to express that opinion in print. I ven- 

 ture the suggestion, however, that the 'brick 

 clays ' may be of various ages. Some of the 

 clays used for brick about Philadelphia 

 (whether ' Philadelphia brick clays ' or not 

 is another question) are at low altitudes, and 

 are younger than the Trenton gravels, since they 

 overlie them. Others are at much greater alti- 

 tudes, and are presumptively of different, per- 

 haps very different age. When our work in 

 New Jersey is complete I shall attempt to make 

 as careful a correlation of the various forma- 

 tions, and of their various phases, as the facts 

 at hand shall warrant. Until that time, infer- 

 ences based on annual reports, which are con- 

 fessedly 'reports of progress,' are liable to be 

 misleading. Possibly it would be as well not 

 to make them. 



Prof. Wright is good enough to refer to the 

 conclusions which I have reached, as a " distinct 

 advance." I, however, do not see any reason 

 to think that my final conclusions are likely to 

 be antagonistic in any important sense to the 

 opinions which I have heretofore held, opinions 

 which are in general harmony with those of 

 Prof. Chamberlin, whose name is brought into 

 the article in question. The most important 

 modification of my own views which has yet 

 taken place is the reference of a larger portion 

 (than formerly) of the Jamesburg to the ' low- 

 level ' (younger) division. 



I am not personally qualified to speak con- 

 cerning the Conewango and Allegheny terraces, 

 to which allusion is made ; but, if I understand 

 the matter correctly, there has been no aban- 

 donment by Prof. Chamberlin and his co- 

 laborers of any essential position relative to the 

 phenomena along the Allegheny River. On the 

 contrary, I have been under the impression, all 

 along, that the detailed study of the region had 

 tended to confirm the essential correctness of 

 the position taken by Prof. Chamberlin long 

 ago. RoLLiN D. Salisbury. 



University of Chicago, March 9, 1896. 



PRIMITIVE HABITATIONS IN OHIO. 



In a recent discussion between two ethnolo- 



gists it was advocated that all tribes living in 

 timbered sections constructed houses of logs, 

 bark or saplings, and that the tepee or skin 

 lodge proper was characteristic of the plains. 

 At Oregonia and Fort Ancient, two points in 

 the Little 3Iiami Valley, in Ohio, are large vil- 

 lage sites upon which the sunken depressions 

 marking lodge sites are still discernable. One 

 of these areas has been under cultivation ; the 

 other is in its natural state. Some of the de- 

 pressions are circular (the deeper ones), while 

 the others are irregular. Ashes, charcoal, pot- 

 tery, bones and implements are found in them 

 to a depth of two or three feet, indicating a con- 

 siderable excavation for the fireplace of each 

 home. Those which are circular may have as- 

 sumed such shape by natural agencies, as the 

 wash of the soil into the deepest part of the ex- 

 cavation. 



A number of the irregular sites were exca- 

 vated. While the greatest quantity of refuse 

 was found in the center, yet the debris ex- 

 tended on all sides for a distance of 12 or 15 

 feet. The site itself would vary from 20 by 25 

 to 30 by 45 feet, and frequently the ashes, pot- 

 tery and bones were six or seven inches deep 

 near the outer edge. 



No modern relics have been found on either 

 of these spots, although a careful examination 

 (covering many months) was made of each. 

 From the excavations it would appear that the 

 habitations were permanent. At one point, 

 considerably below the surface, remains of small 

 (ends) logs eight inches in diameter were found, 

 but it was hard to determine the character of 

 the habitation. 



I am of the opinion that most of the houses 

 were of logs, coated with clay, thus forming 

 ' clay domes ' after the fashion of the Mandans. 

 My theory is based upon these facts: The de- 

 pressions, their extent and character ; the fact 

 that the first plowing of the southern part of 

 Fort Ancient revealed circular embankments a 

 few inches high, also irregular and slightly 

 raised masses of reddish clay. When the lodge 

 decayed and fell the upper portion would natu- 

 rally fall into the entire space enclosed. As the 

 walls immediately above the base were thick, 

 when they fell the circular ring was formed. 



The farmers also stated that the clay in these 



