Putnam.] 34 [February 7, 
miles up the river from Merom, on the Illinois side. The relative 
position and size of the mounds in this group is shown by the preced- 
ing cut from a plan made by Mr. Emerton, assisted by Mr. Collett, 
This group commences just beyond the river terrace, and widens out 
to the east and west, covering a distance of about one thousand feet 
from the mound, on the extreme east to that furthest west, and con- 
tinues southward, back from the river, on the second, or prairie 
terrace, some fourteen or fifteen hundred feet. The greater number 
of the mounds forming the group are situated in the northern half 
of the territory covered, while only ten are to the south of this central 
line. The mounds are very irregularly dispersed over the territory 
included in the limits mentioned, and vary in size from fourteen to 
eighteen feet to forty-five or fifty in diameter, and are now from a 
foot and a half to five feet in height, though probably formerly much 
higher. Four of the mounds at the southern portion of the group 
were surrounded by a low ridge, now somewhat indistinct, but still 
in places about a foot in height. These ridges are composed of dirt, 
evidently scooped up from round the base of the mound, as between 
the ridge and the mound there is still a slight and even depression. 
The ridges about the two southernmost mounds (O, P) have openings 
nearly facing each other, while the one to the north of them (JZ) has 
the ridge broken on both the eastern and western sides, and the 
one still farther to the north (Z) has the ridge entire. 
In referring to this group of mounds I have called them mounds of 
habitation, and it seems as if that was most likely to have been their 
use. First, from the character of the surrounding country, which 
is level,-and only some twenty-five or thirty feet above the present 
river, with every indication of aclear, damp soil in former times, 
though now the part not under cultivation is covered with a heavy 
growth of trees, several large trees even growing immediately on 
some of the mounds. What would be more natural to persons wishing 
to avail themselves of this terrace prairie, and proximity to the river, 
than to make a mound on which to erect their dwelling ? 
Secondly, their great variation in size and irregularity in position, 
would indicate that a number of persons had got together for some 
common purpose, and each family, working with a common view to 
provide for certain ends, had erected a mound, varying in size ac- 
cording to the number at work upon it, or the degree of industry 
with which its makers worked during the time at their disposal. 
Thirdly, four of the mounds, marked K, M, N and O on the cut, 
