THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 509 



that only a few approach true circles and adduces no evidence to 

 prove them of a ceremonial character. Often they have been 

 erroneously regarded as works of the mound builders. 



The later Iroquoian occupation becomes more specific and is rec- 

 ognizable as the Erian. It differs from the older occupation in 

 that the burials contain flint and shell objects, pottery of different 

 form and decoration. Refuse, that is, broken bone implements, 

 potsherds, rejected flints and entire objects, evidently swept in ac- 

 cidently, is found in abundance in pits and sunken fireplaces. 



The later Erian occupation, the early historic, that is to say, those 

 sites which yield objects of European manufacture, differs notice- 

 ably from the earHer sites in several respects. The pottery seems 

 to have undergone a gradual change until the Erie were destroyed, 

 the most varied forms and decorations being of the historic period. 



Chautauqua county was for more than a century the hunting 

 grounds of the Seneca and a portion of their reservation still lies 

 in the northeast corner. They had settlements near Bemus point 

 and on the mouth of the Canadaway creek. Some of their principal 

 trails led from the lake shore at Irving, almost due south and into 

 the valley of the Conewango. 



List of Sites 



1 There are several sites in or near Westfield village, the largest 

 being a walled inclosure and village plot, " half of mile south of West 

 Main street on Hugh McNeil's land." The site is now covered by 

 a vineyard but excavations in a nearby field revealed village and 

 burial sites. Cord-marked pottery and triangular flints were found 

 in 1 910. The graves are shallow and two ossuaries containing 

 forty or fifty skeletons were opened. In one a perforated disk was 

 found by the writer in 1910. The occupation is early Chautauqua 

 Iroquoian. 



2 Camp site on the Cyrus Pettit farm in Sherman. 



3 Camp site on the Myron Eggleston farm in Sherman. 



4 Camp site on the Philip Carpenter farm in Sherman. 



5 Camp site on the Noah Bennet farm in Sherman. 



6 An elliptic work was on the west bank of Fay's creek, Portland, 

 on the central part of lot 38, T. 5. The Erie Railroad runs through 

 the north part of the fort. Clay and stone pipes have been found 

 there (Reynolds, p. 512). 



7 A work near the east line of Fredonia was on an abrupt emi- 

 nence of 30 feet and was 190 feet long. It intersected the steep 



