1919] BARRETT AND HAWKES, KRATZ CREEK MOUNDS. 89 



MOUND No. 41 



This mound was a panther effigy, which was situated a consid- 

 erable distance east of the rest of the group, immediately along the 

 high bank at the lake shore. The legs and possibly a portion of 

 the body had been washed away by the action of the water. The 

 tail, which extended in a southwesterly direction toward the end of 

 the tail of the large panther, No. 38, was nearly obliterated by ex- 

 tensive cultivation. 



The body of the mound was elevated 2.6 feet above the sur- 

 rounding land, and 21.02 feet above mean lake level. The mound 

 had a total length of 167 feet, of which the tail formed 132 feet. The 

 shape of the body resembled that of a conical mound, being almost 

 circular. It was 35 feet in length and 37 feet in width. It had a 

 peculiar swollen appearance, somewhat like that of certain of the 

 other mounds in this group. 



There was no special stratification in this mound, which ap- 

 peared to have been built up almost entirely of a very light yel- 

 lowish-white sand, of the consistency of quicksand. In this a burial 

 was placed, and a surface fire, about 1.5 feet thick, spread over the 

 body of the mound. 



This burial occurred at a depth of 4 feet from the top of the 

 shoulder of the mound. The body was that of a small individual, 

 evidently an abnormal type, judging from the large size of the head 

 compared to the rest of the body. The skeleton lay on its right 

 side with its head turned toward the left. The head had evidently 

 been completely crushed when the body was interred. 



The curious pathological condition of the skeleton, and the po- 

 sition of the mound, aloof from the rest of the group, together with 

 the apparent lack of the careful ceremonial stratification usually 

 afforded a burial, suggests that the builders of the mound consid- 

 ered this individual a monstrosity, who should be set apart from the 

 other burials, and not accorded the usual honors paid the dead. 

 Nevertheless, they reared this panther effigy over it, and built the 

 usual large surface fire, perhaps out of respect to the family or clan 

 to which he belonged. 



MOUNDS Nos. 42 TO 45 



This sub-group was composed of four mounds which were lo- 

 cated on the southwest side of Kratz Creek, on the rising ground 

 just beyond the marsh. The first two were a small and a large bear 



