6 O. C. Marsh—Description of an Ancient Sepulchral Mound. 
exhumed from the bottom of the grave, were evidently imper- 
feet when thrown in. Among these was part of a large femur, 
which had been gnawed by some carnivorous animal. Th 
marks of the teeth were sharply defined, and corresponded to 
those made by a dog or a wo 
Quite a number of implements of various kinds were found 
with the human remains in this grave. Near its eastern end, 
where the detached bones had been buried, were nine lance and 
m 
from “Flint ridge,” a siliceous deposit of Carboniferous age, which 
crops out a few miles distant. These weapons are of “peculiar 
he Indians for similar articles. Two of these corres- 
ponded steaely in form with the stone hand-axe figured by 
Squier and Davis as the only one then known from the: mounds.® 
With these axes were found a small hatchet of hematite, a flint 
an me a peculiar flint instrument, apparently used for scrap- 
kee she the central part of the grave, near the aged female skeleton 
already alluded to, were a large number of bone implements, all 
exceedingly well preserved, Among these were five needles, or 
bodkins, from three to six inches in rie neatly made from 
the metatarsal bones of the common deer; and also a pcm: 
to an inch an alf in diameter. Most of these had both 
ends somewhat sonedesl and perfectly smooth, as if they had 
either been long in — or carefully polished. It is possible 
implements were used for smoothing down the seams of 
skins or leather : they wuuld, at least, be well adapted to such a 
rpose. A ‘ whistle,” made from a tooth of a young black 
, and several “spoons, ” eut out of the shells of river mus- 
sels, were also obtained near the same spot. 
vessel of coarse pottery was found near the western = of 
the grave, but, unfortunately, was broken in roms It 
. oe dey are of New York, p. 3 
tributions, vol. i, fig. 10, p- 217. 
