384 The American Naturalist. [April, 
The distances of various points of interest have been ascertained 
with care ; the length of the embankments in the Old and New Forts 
is 18,712 feet. The length of the crescent in the New Fort is 269 
feet ; length of the parallel walls, 2760 feet ; the distance in a straight 
line between the extreme part of the New Fort to that of the Old is 
4993 feet. The average height of embankment is twelve and one half 
feet. In the highest places (where the walls cross the eastern side of 
the plateau) it reaches an altitude of twenty-two feet, while in one 
locality, where scarcely any protection on account of precipitous 
ravines is necessary, it is but three and one-half feet 
Two classes of burials were discovered ; the one bent aide in stone 
graves, while the other was a simple interment under a small heap of 
stones. The former order of burial resembles the stone graves of 
Tennessee, A village site and cemetery similar to that of Madison- 
ville, Ohio, was revealed by excavations in the valley adjacent to the 
Miami River. Out of this valley were taken a quantity of refuse such 
as would accumulate from an aboriginal village. The deposits were 
found at three levels, the deepest being five feet below the surface. 
the pottery of the lower deposit was different from that discovered 
above, Mr. Moorehead is of the opinion that various tribes occupied 
this region. 
The general conclusions drawn are interesting. He is led to con- 
clude from his examination of the place that the fortification was 
erected by one people as a defence against a hostile tribe or nation. 
He thinks that the neighboring Indians living within a radius of one 
undred miles were allied and held in common this structure, that a 
number were constantly detailed to keep it in repair, and that in case 
of an invasion they congregated here for safety. 
Mr. Moorehead gives the following definition of Fort Ancient : 
“ Fort Ancient isa defensive earthwork, used at times as a refuge by 
some large tribe of Indians; and at intervals there was a large village 
situated within the walls.’’ 
In the excavations upwards of two hundred skeletons were exhumed, 
an aboriginal stone pavement 130 by 500 feet discovered, etc. Alto- 
gether the work is commendable, and we would feel inclined to criti- 
cise but slightly. A ground plan of the fort is given, which is repro- 
duced in the accompanying Plate XIII.—Tuomas Witson, Smithsonian 
Institution. 
March 15th, 1890. 

