60 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



latter contained little of interest, only a few potsherds and rude 

 flints being found in them. 



An examination of the burials proved that the Minsis had for 

 some time been influenced by the white men about them. Some 

 of the skeletons seem to have been buried in rough wooden 

 boxes. The position of all. skeletons found in what appeared to 

 be the remains of boxes was the extended position instead of 

 the- flexed position generally found in old burials in this State. 



Most of the objects found in the graves were of European 

 origin. These objects include beads of several sizes and shapes, 

 brass and iron finger rings, brass bracelets, brass bells of two 

 forms, one bronze soup spoon, one clay pipe stamped R. Tippet, 

 and brass buttons. The aboriginal artifacts found in the graves 

 were all shell ornaments, probably pendants or gorgets. 



Several of the skeletons present interesting features for study. 

 There are several fractures and cases of ankylosis worthy of 

 careful examination. Osteological studies of these skeletons are 

 reserved for a future time. 



The skulls are unlike any others which are found at present 

 in our collections. They are flattened at the occiput evidently 

 by artificial means, probably in early infancy by the agency of 

 the baby-board. This occipital flattening gives the skull, as 

 viewed from the front, a peculiar bulging appearance at the back. 



An interesting series of stone articles from the lower Hudson 

 valley has been received from the American Museum of Natural 

 History in exchange for a collection embracing a number of 

 duplicate specimens from western New York. The Hudson val- 

 ley collection contains some good specimens of chipped and 

 polished stone articles. 



Through the activity of Mr D. D. Luther, the field geologist, 

 an unusually good lot of articles has come to us from two an- 

 cient graves on the east slope of Bare hill, Canandaigua lake, 

 near the village of Middlesex. The collection includes a knife 

 of rhyolite, 10 inches in length. The chipping is good and the 

 knife thin considering the poor quality of the material. With 

 this knife was found a rude pipe of pottery. It has no decora- 

 tions. In the same grave was a long string of shell and elk tooth 

 beads, a copper chisel and two finely made stone tubes. A second 

 grave contained a broken tube and a broken bar amulet. All of 

 these objects are relics of a Pre-Iroquoian people and are similar to 

 specimens found in mounds. 



