G. F. Eaton — Prehistoric Fauna of Block Island. 143 



The Mott Shell-heap. 



The other shell-heaps and smaller deposits to be described 

 in this paper were explored during the month of July, 1897. 

 The second shell-heap explored will be designated as the Mott 

 Shell-heap, as it was situated on the northwest side of the lane 

 which passes S. D. Mott's dwelling-house and a few rods from 

 the "New Road." Fragments of shells cropping out at the 

 roadside called attention to the presence of this shell-heap, 

 which ultimately proved richer in vertebrate remains than any 

 of the other deposits. Evidently a portion of this shell-heap, 

 too, had been destroyed in road-making, for the horizontal 

 plane of the layer was nearly semicircular with the straight 

 side bordering on the lane. The greatest diameter of the layer 

 was twenty-one feet, the least diameter about nine feet, and 

 the depth a little over two feet. The shell-heap was covered 

 by about ten inches of soil overgrown by a rich turf. The 

 deposit consisted mainly of oyster and clam shells packed 

 closely in the characteristic black soil, but in addition to these 

 were found the remains of many species of mammals, birds, 

 fishes, and reptiles, as well as numerous implements of stone 

 and bone and bits of pottery. A careful examination of this 

 shell-heap brought to light much valuable material, as will be 

 seen by a glance at the following list : 



Mammalia. Bernicla canadensis (Canada 



Cervus vircinianus (Virginia -^ Y° ose *' ., /r> , -, . llx 

 D eer \ Fuhx mania (Broad-bill). 



Canis familiaris (Dog). ^lix ferina ^ Re ^ ead 1 ) ' 



Lutra canadensis (Canada Otter). Me /r gU8 sern \ tor (^-breasted 

 Phoca vitulina (Harbor Seal). Merganser). 



Phoca groenlandica (Harp Seal). ^ Ier S us merganser (Merganser). 

 HaliohSerus grypus (Gray Seal. Q^rquedula carohnensis (Green- 

 Globiocephams melas (Black- ™ n § ed , TeaI L , 



fish Whale) Oidemia fusca (Coot). 



Castor canadensis (Beaver). -Phalacrocorax dilophus (Double- 



v crested Cormorant). 



. Larus glaucus (Ice Gull). 



Lams argentatus (Herring Gull). 

 Corvus frugivorus (Crow). Colymbus torquatus (Common 



Bubo virginianus (Great Horned Loon). 



Owl). Colymbus septentrionalis (Red- 



Buteo lineatus (Red-shouldered breasted Loon). 



Hawk). Podiceps griseigena (Red-necked 



Halietus leucocephalus (Bald Grebe). 



Eagle). Alca impennis (Great Auk). 



Grus canadensis (Northern Utamanea torda (Razor-billed 



Brown Crane). Auk). 



