366 



ON THE CONTENTS OF A EOCK RETREAT 



stones) for defence as well as for other purposes, but they did not occur in masses. 

 Omitting doubtful specimens, the Retreat has furnished 455 of these pebbles, of 

 which 160 are entire, the large number of 295 being chipped. Other chipped and 

 unchipped examples, also some probable hammer-stones, borers, and scrapers, occurred 

 from ten to thirty yards beyond the Retreat, and chiefly south of it. 



Pebbles about half an inch in size (larger and smaller), perhaps collected for 

 rattles, or due to ice ; but river gravel does not appear in the soil, which has been 

 recently (May, 1878), dug up for twelve yards in front of the Retreat to form a 

 garden, the chief mineral present being small angular fragments of the quartzite of the 

 vicinity, with an occasional entire or chipped pebble of the kind already mentioned. 



A smooth flat river-stone, with vertical sides and rounded angles, occurred in the 

 recess, and may have served for preparing food, for a baking-stone, or for a seat : 14| 

 inches long, 3 thick, 7| to 8 wide.* 



V. SHELLS. PL. 12, FIG. 9. 



Several species of Unio inhabit the Susquehanna, and the shells occurred sparsely 

 in the Retreat, mostly fragmentary and in a state of decay (as in Fig. 9, probably U. 

 radiatus), but a more recent valve of Unio complanatus was found. The molluscs 

 were probably eaten ; the shells used for scrapers and tweezers ;t and fine fragments 

 are visible in the clay of some of the pottery found. I^either perforated specimens 

 nor univalve species were observed. 



VI. BONES. PL. 12, FIGS. 10-16. 



Bones in various stages of decay or conservation were ]*ather abundant ; the 

 hollow ones, such as Figs. 14, 15, are split, according to the habit of modern savages, 

 who eat marrow. J Several of the specimens figured (Fig. 10-14) have been selected 

 as probable awls, in addition to those of Plate 4. The originals of Figs. 13 and 14 

 are much decayed, and the latter is slightly notched on both sides, as if for the at- 

 tachment of a string. 



*I have from Mr. A. H. Gottscliall a leaticular pebble, about ^ inches across and ^\ high, which he found in 

 use by Siuux as a base upon whicli to pound flesli with a stone hammer, 

 f Heclvewelder, Indian Nations, Hist. Soc. Penna., 1876, p. 205. 



X My friend. Prof. E. D. Cope, finds remains of tlie following species in the Retreat : Cariacus mrginianus (com- 

 mon deer), bones abundant ; Sciurus hudsonius (red squirrel) ; Didelpliys inrginiana (possum) ; Tortoise, species not 

 determined ; Meleagru gallopavo (turkey, a beak) ; and perhaps the domestic dog and sheep. 



