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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



ered by Mrs R. D. Lovelancl of Watertown, near the long carrying- 

 place at the head of Chaumont bay. A curious depression arrested 

 her attention, and a little digging brought to light a human skull. 

 She then turned over the search to others, who unfortunately had 

 not her knowledge and skill, and no clear description is available 

 from them. Dr R. W. Amidon afterward visited the place, saw 

 the relics, and obtained what information he could. Its importance 

 comes from its age, the relics being mostly of early types. The pit 

 is near and below the end of a ledge of Trenton limestone. At 

 least 8 skeletons of vigorous adults were unearthed, from 2 to 4 

 feet below the surface, and mostly covered with boulders and flat 

 stones. Two skulls were fractured, as though by a war club. A 

 perfect clay vessel was destroyed by the diggers, but it was of a 

 frequent form. A bird amulet, of green striped slate, was found. 

 This was 5^ inches long, rather broad, and with the head and tail 

 almost on a plane with the body. There was also a bar amulet of 

 sandstone, 6 inches long, and a perfect soapstone pipe of a frequent 

 form. A flat bone bead, bone and horn implements, flint arrow- 

 heads or knives, were among other articles. This ossuary thus 

 gives us some idea of what other things were used by those who 

 had these amulets. 



In Livingston county there was once a mound in the road from 

 Dansville to Groveland, which was 4 or 5 feet high and 30 feet in 

 diameter. Another was midway between Dansville and Scottsburg. 

 A burial mound was 2^ miles southeast of the head of Hemlock 

 lake. One at Mt Morris was used for recent sepulture, but 

 may not have been artificial, as it is said to have been 100 feet 

 across and 8 to 10 feet high. Some accounts make the relics of 

 early types, and it is probable it was used at various periods. On 

 the Genesee river, near the Wheatland line, was a burial mound 

 8 feet high. Two mounds are also on the Wadsworth farm near 

 Geneseo. One is 3 feet high, but not quite 25 feet across ; the other 

 is much smaller. Both have been reduced in size. A stone heap 

 at Lima traditionally had a memorial character. 



In Madison county, on Oneida lake, are supposed Indian mounds, 

 which are probably natural formations. 



