42 



A small flat mound at the junction of the Mackachack with Mad 

 river on Mr. Clem's farm disclosed nothing but a layer of charcoal 

 near its base. If it had contained any bones or other objects of inter- 

 est, these had either decayed or were not reached by the line of exca- 

 vation. A mound of similar character was also opened on the farm 

 of Mr. Michael near Buck creek. In this nothing but a small quan- 

 tity ot charcoal was found. 



Two mounds have been opened by the Morse Natural History 

 Society in which work the writer was also associated. One of these 

 is located on the ridge northeast of the Baldwin mound on the farm 

 of Mr. Wilson. It is a low mound, being only three feet in height 

 and about thirty in diameter. In it were found simply the frontal 

 bone of a skeleton, fragments of a stone pipe and a few flints. A 

 mound has been recently opened by the same society with the assist- 

 ance of James Bacon, Esq., of Springfield, which has yielded interest- 

 ing results as far as the exploration has been carried. This mound is 

 situated on the Foley farm, about four miles east of Springfield on a 

 ridge midway between Buck creek and Beaver creek. The mound is 

 eight feet in height and seventy feet in diameter at the base. It is 

 situated in a wood and is covered by the present forest growth. An 

 excavation eight feet square was carried down through the center to 

 the base. The line of junction of the mound with the ground on 

 which it stands is very well marked. Four feet from the top, a mass 

 of burnt clay was encountered in which were found fragments of 

 charred bone and the skull and other parts of a skeleton that had not 

 been charred. Bits of pottery were met with here and there during 

 the whole of the excavation. The principal deposit was reached at 

 the base of the mound immediately upon the surface of the ground. 

 Here were several skeletons variously disposed. They were placed in 

 a small area close together and apparently without any enclosure of 

 wood, bark or stone. There was no charcoal about them, and the 

 bones were firmly imbedded in the clay. The first skeleton exhumed 

 was folded together, the knees resting against the chin, and was placed 

 on the right side, the head toward the north. Next to it was a skel- 

 eton in a similar position with the head toward the south. Beside 

 these, stretched at full length, were two others. The first was placed 

 on its back with the head turned on its left side toward the north and 

 facing the east. Close behind this was another skeleton in a similar 

 position to the former, the skulls of the two being in contact and the 



