4 
BULLETIN OF WISCONSIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. VOL. 2. NO. 1. 
A paper written by Paul H. Dernehl on the Purple Martin 
(Progne subis Bd.) was read by Chas. E. Brown. For many years 
past martins have each year occupied bird houses set out for 
their use at the home of Mr. Dernehl, and his paper was chiefly 
based upon notes he has taken during the past six years upon their 
breeding and other habits. 
The meeting was then adjourned. 
Thursday, Oct. 25, 1900. 
This meeting was held in the Museum lecture room with 
President Teller in the chair and thirty persons present. 
Chas. E. Brown reported on a meeting of the united sections 
of the society held Oct. 11, and also on a meeting of the Arche- 
ology Section at the home of Mr. Henry R. Denison. 
Mr. F. M. Benedict then addressed the meeting on the "Earth- 
works and Other Traces of Pre-historic Man Existing in Wau- 
paca County, Wis." 
After describing the topography and geological character of 
the region, with its underlying formations of granite and Potsdam 
sand, the speaker described the principal ancient village-sites, 
Indian trails and groups of mounds of the '^Chain o' Lakes" dis- 
trict with which he was most familiar. The village sites were 
marked by numerous kitchen-middens from which little had been 
obtained except broken pottery and broken cobblestones, the latter 
bearing evidence of having once been employed when heated to 
boil water for the ancient villagers. 
The speaker estimated the ancient cornfields to be fully 350 
years old, basing his views upon the remains of trees that rested 
upon the ancient cornhills. 
The principal mounds in that region w^ere stated to be, ( i ) 
six effigy mounds of the turtle form that had contained encysted 
skeletons in a sitting posture, (2) a man mound 400 feet long. (3) 
a group of seven oblong mounds and (4) about 46 round mounds 
scattered throughout the district under consideration. 
Two prehistoric excavations in the vicinity of the lakes were 
also described. 
Dr. Stanhope, Rev. O. G. McNeill and C. E. Brown took part 
in a discussion that followed this address. 
The following were nominated for membership by Mr. Nehr- 
ling and President Teller, and duly elected : Messrs. Carl BarteU, 
Aug. Cloos, Henry R. Denison, Sydney R. Hartwell, Edw. E. 
Voss and Lindsay Webb. 
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. 
