PERCH LAKE AND OTHER NEW YORK MOUNDS 2J 



4 feet below the level at A by Dr Benedict, and this occurred at 

 4 feet, 9 inches at H. At F was an oblong fireplace of watervvorn 

 stones. Between the top stone and one on the west side of the 

 inclosure part of a pottery rim was found. There were small 

 sherds at H. In the ashes under the top stone were calcined bones. 

 A human astragalus was found at B, 4 feet southwest of the central 

 stake, at a depth of 1 foot, 9 inches, covered with several round 

 stones, 6 inches to a foot in diameter and an inch thick. A 

 calcined long bone was found 15 feet south of the stake, which 

 seemed part of a human tibia. At 7 feet, 10 inches south from the 

 stake the bottom of the mound was of burnt clay and gravel, about 



6 inches thick. Below this was a hollow space, beginning 3 feet, 



7 inches from the surface of the mound. This was 9 or 10 inches 

 deep, and extended every way 2 or 3 feet. The floor of this was 

 of coarse gravel, about the size of hickory nuts, blackened, but 

 showing no disturbance. Charred wood was occasionally found, 

 some of considerable size. There were also small bits of mica. 

 These seem hardly true burial mounds, though containing human 

 bones. 



Other mounds have been reported in Erie county 15 to 16 feet 

 high and from 45 to 54 feet in diameter. One near the Indian fort 

 at Buffalo was 5 or 6 feet high, and from 35 to 40 feet across. It is 

 probable that Dr Benedict's diameters may be too great, allowance 

 not being made for increase at the base by washing* down from 

 above. 



On St Regis island, Franklin county, was a mound 8 feet high, 

 and another opposite, on the east bank of St Regis river. Burial 

 mounds were frequent along the St Lawrence. 



Small mounds have been reported on Tonawanda creek, in 

 Genesee county, but they may not have been artificial, though used 

 for sepulture. The mound at the Bone fort, near Caryville, was 

 6 feet high and 30 feet wide, almost entirely composed of bones. 



Two small mounds have been reported in Jefferson county, and 

 many hut rings on the east bank of Black river, Lewis county, 

 opposite the Deer River station. These are like those at Perch lake. 



In the summer of 1903 an early and notable ossuary was discov- 



