Putnam.] 316 [January 6, 



height of nearly ten feet, while at one place a wall about seventy- 

 five feet in height had been erected to fill up a gap in the otherwise 

 nearly precipitous portion of the natural wall. The stones of these 

 walls were simply laid, one overlapping the other, so as to break 

 joints, without cement or mortar of any kind. They had been taken 

 from the surface within the fort. 



Mr. Putnam also mentioned an ancient pile of stones on a prom- 

 ontory near Lexington, Ind., which he thought was more likely the 

 remains of some prehistoric monument, erected for some other pur- 

 pose than to mark a burial place, though the stones had been so 

 much disturbed by treasure seekers that the original form of the 

 monument could only be conjectured. It is known that the "Southern 

 Indians erected somewhat similar monuments to mark the spot where 

 some noted event had taken place. 



He then described a very singular ancient deposit found near Lex- 

 ington, Ind., which he called a "refuse circle." This circle was about 

 four hundred feet in diameter, and was formed by a ridge about four 

 feet wide. The ridge seemed to be entirely composed of fragments 

 of pottery and broken bones of deer and other animals. The gen- 

 eral appearance of this place is that of an ancient camp, or village, 

 protected by a palisade against which the refuse of the camp had 

 been thrown, and after the destruction of the palisade the soil had 

 formed over the debris and made the ridge now seen. Large sugar 

 trees are growing on portions of the ridge, and there is every indica- 

 tion that considerable antiquity can be ascribed to this interest- 

 ing circle, which will receive a thorough examination by Professor 

 Cox during the coming year. 



Crossing to Kentucky, through his connection with the State survey, 

 (which had been so wisely inaugurated by the Legislature, that its 

 chief, Professor Shaler, was able to extend the work into biological 

 departments as well as geological), Mr. Putnam was able to pursue 

 his archaeological investigations while engaged in the ichthyological 

 work of the survey, and had the opportunity of making examina- 

 tions in several distinct archaeological fields, viz., rock shelters, caves, 

 mounds and circular graves. 



A rock shelter near Grayson Springs proved very interesting from 

 the number of split bones of the animals which had evidently 

 been used for food, fragments of pottery, and flints found. This 

 place was under an overhanging rock which projected about twenty- 

 five feet from the ledge, forming a place where a number of per- 



