PERCH LAKE AND OTHER NEW YORK MOUNDS 



9 



There are two large groups north of any of these, and but one 

 mound was observed by me over 40 feet in diameter. The fine pair 

 in front of the old mansion are by no means of the largest size, either 

 in hight or width. 



Before adding notes of personal observations to these, it may be 

 well to take notice of some kindred groups on the north shore of 

 Lake Ontario, which I had planned to examine some years since. 

 Mr Thomas C. Wallbridge read a paper " On some Ancient Mounds 

 upon the Shores of the Bay of Quinte," Mar. 3, i860, which was 

 printed in the Canadian Journal for September of that year. These 

 mounds had then been locally known as artificial for 50 years, but no 

 account had been previously published. Commencing at Redners- 

 ville they could be traced along the bay about 8 miles to Massassaga 

 point. This space, with the islands of Big bay, included about 100 

 distinct mounds, but others could be seen at intervals from the 

 eastern to the western end of the Bay of Quinte. Others were 

 reported at one place on the River Trent. Mr Wallbridge said : 



As far as has yet been ascertained, there is but one class or form 

 6f mounds in this part of the country, and the truncated cone is the 

 shape they assume. In size they vary from a diameter at the base of 

 30 to 50 feet, to a diameter at the apex of 12 feet. Each mound has 

 a shallow basin or circular depression upon its summit, which, what- 

 ever be the size of the work, has a diameter of 8 feet ; and no mound 

 under my observation possessed an altitude of more than 5 feet. It 

 is a remarkable peculiarity of these works, that in almost every 

 instance they occur in groups of two, and at irregular distances the 

 one group from the other. Irregularity is likewise observable 

 between any one mound and its fellow, these being sometimes found 

 in juxtaposition, and again from 50 to 100 feet asunder. The two 

 of the same group are always of one size. With respect to the sur- 

 rounding country they are situate apparently without design, now 

 at the foot of a commanding hill, then halfway down the side of a 

 bank, and again so near the shore that in several instances they have 

 been destroyed by the action of the water. Twice they have been 

 found in very low or swampy ground, and in those cases they occur 

 singly. Wallbridge, p.iu 



He opened five of these at Massassaga point in August 1859. A 

 cut was made 33 feet long, 2 feet wide and 3 feet deep, to the original 

 surface. Under a few inches of mold was a heap of broken gneiss, 



