536 THE MOUIsB BVILDERS OF ILLINOIS. 



high, and fifteen feet diameter at the base, and was situated on an elevated 

 point of land close to the bank of the river. From the top of this mound 

 one might view the country for many miles in almost any direction. On 

 its summit was an oval altar, six feet long and four and one half wide. It 

 was composed of flat pieces of limestone, which had been burned red, some 

 portions having been almost converted into lime. On and about this altar 

 I found abundance of charcoal. At the sides of the altar were fragments 

 of human bones, some of which had been charred. It was covered by a 

 natural growth of vegetable mold and sod, the thickness of which was about 

 ten inches. Large trees had once grown in this vegetable mold, but their 

 stumps were so decayed I could not tell to what species they belonged. 

 Another large mound was opened which contained nothing. — W. C. Hol- 

 BROOK, in American Naturalist. 



Mound Builders of Illinois. — The Chicago Inter-Ocean has a letter 

 from a correspondent at Eockford, Illinois, who, under date of August 27, 

 " The Eockford Scientific Society made an excursion last Friday to investi- 

 gate the mounds which are so numerous along the banks of the Eock Eiver. 

 The spot chosen was about seven miles south of this city, on the river. 

 Two mounds were opened. In the first, at a depth of five feet from the top 

 of the mound, and about a foot below the surface of the surrounding coun- 

 try, detached pieces of bone were discovered, and with great care the per- 

 fect reclining form of a skeleton was excavated. The body at burial had 

 been laid on the right side facing the sun, with legs drawn up and knees to 

 the .chin, with hands crossed in front. The skull was taken out and brought 

 to this city, where it will be carefully examined. The teeth are in a won- 

 derful state of preservation. It was impossible to remove the skeleton 

 whole from its long resting place, it being as soft and frail as the mould 

 which encased it, and only detached pieces could be secured. It is the first 

 specimen which the society has secured of the genuine pro-historic mound 

 builder, and that it belongs to that long extinct and mysterious race of 

 people they have no doubt. The society also commenced the opening of a 

 larger mound near by, but were unable to finish it. A number of large 

 stones were found near the centre of this mound. Some of the stones were 

 foreign to this locality" and State, and were undoubtedly brought from the 

 Lake Superior region, and for what purpose they were placed there it is 

 not possible to conjecture until the mound is more fully opened. The so- 

 ciety i^ropose to continue their interesting discoveries and I will attend 

 their investigations. Near this locality, a few days since, a party of laborers 

 recently exhumed with a plow several skeletons which were lying near' the 

 surface, and which, from chronological appearances as well as from the fact 

 that they were buried near the surface, were undoubtedly Indians, With 

 these skeletons was found a pebble stone pipe of unusual polish and finish ; 

 also three hollow deers' leg bones, which had evidentl}' been used as musi- 

 cal instruments of some kind, and which were perforated at regular inter- 

 vals with round and square holes." 



