262 INTRODUCTION 



proved gratifying and wherever it was possible Mr. Houghton, 

 accompanied by Dr. R. E. DeCeu, who became deeply inter- 

 ested and rendered most valuable assistance, visited the sug- 

 gested localities, identified the village, camp and burial sites, 

 corrected errors which had already crept into print and made a 

 definite and reliable record of results. In 1908 similar studies 

 were made of Niagara County and of the adjacent Canadian 

 frontier and further explorations were made in the summer of 

 1909. 



The most important attempt at a connected record of Indian 

 village sites in this region which has hitherto been made, is that 

 included in the valuable bulletin by Rev. Wm. M. Beauchamp 

 upon the "Aboriginal Occupation of New York" published by 

 the State Museum in 1900. Dr. Beauchamp drew for his in- 

 formation upon such published references as occurred in E. G, 

 Squier's Aboriginal Monuments of New York, Turner's History 

 of the Holland Purchase, Johnson's History of Erie Co., etc., 

 as well as upon occasional personal inspections and also reports 

 of others which he could not verify. The present list will cor- 

 rect some of the errors which naturally occurred in the publica- 

 tions referred to. It has been confined to Erie and Niagara 

 Counties and to the Canadian frontier near the Niagara River, 

 because it was thought that correct work within that definite 

 territory would be preferable to a more extended and less accu- 

 rate survey, and because the State Museum has already entered 

 upon important archaeological investigations in the adjoining 

 counties of Cattaraugus and Chautauqua. The State Archaeol- 

 ogist, Mr. A. C. Parker has been most considerate in furnishing 

 Mr. Houghton with his report of certain village sites in Erie 

 County which had become known to him. A similar kindness 

 has been shown by many others whose interest in Archaeology 

 has enabled them to render assistance and to supply important 

 reports. An unselfish desire to enlarge the bounds of knowl- 

 edge has in almost every case prevailed and that desire has 

 guided Mr. Houghton in preparing the list which follows. 



HENRY R. HOWLAND, 

 October 1st, 1909. Superintendent. 



