22 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
the same recent period and people. With one statement of the 
result of his work, Mr Squier may be left for the present: “In 
the short period of eight weeks devoted to the search, I was enabled 
to ascertain the localities of not less than 100 ancient works, and 
to visit and make surveys of half that number. From the facts 
which have fallen under my notice, I feel warranted in estimating 
the number which originally existed in the state at from 200 to 250.” 
Nearly the latter number of defensive earthworks and mounds alone 
‘are now known. The total will not be far above his estimate unless 
he included simple stockades. 
It will be seen that the Iroquois sites formed distinct groups in 
their early territory. Each of the historic Five Nations thus ap- 
pears, but there are other groups as well. Nearly all the Algonquin 
tribes were near the Hudson river or by the sea. In Jefferson 
county is a very large group of the Iroquois type; near Buffalo ; 
is another of the same character and in Cattaraugus and Chautau- 
qua counties still another. Camps and small hamlets usually follow 
the less elevated lakes and rivers, where fishing was good and 
travel easy. Few sites are found on Lake Ontario, because villages 
there would have been too much exposed to enemies, and canoes 
to frequent storms. Forts were usually on high land, remote from 
large streams, but not invariably. Trails crossed rivers at well- 
known fords, which became favorite stopping places. Paths 
varied as villages were removed, and were determined by the nature 
of the land. When long used they were worn deeply in the earth, 
and some still remain. 
The location of aboriginal dwellings depended on a variety of 
circumstances. Ina certain way those nations termed sedentary and 
agricultural were migratory, moving their towns every 10 or 12 
years. When the land was worn out or wood was too far off, the 
women gave the signal, and the town went elsewhere. Sometimes 
it was but a mile or two, often much more. Other migrations were 
less formal. The Onondagas entered that valley a few at a time, 
and gradually crossed to the west side of the creek, in the first 
half of the 18th century. In times of war defensive positions were 
chosen on the hills, and these were quite retired if the nation was 
