16 
about 8 inches. W. J. Wintemberg found it to be composed of dark- 
coloured refuse, shells of the oyster, clam, and boat shell, and broken 
bones. He collected five chips of stone and ten specimens of bones and 
teeth, now catalogued under Nos. VIII-B-15 and VIII-B-16. Mr. Mc- 
Kenzie told him that numerous bones of large animals had been found, 
including whole skulls, not of bear but possibly of walrus. Chipped stone 
points for arrows, celts, and a grooved stone ax had been found there 
by Mr. McKenzie, who presented a broken chipped point to the Museum 
(Cat. No. VIII-B-18). A crude celt, found by Mr. Findlay McKenzie 
on his farm about one-half mile farther west, was presented by him to 
the Museum (Cat. No. VIII-B-17). 
Shell-heap on McLeod Farm, Caribou Island. A small shell-heap is 
situated on the farm of Mr. Daniel McLeod, on Caribou island, according 
to information received from Mr. Joseph Fraser of Caribou island. 
Shell-heap on Fraser Farm, Caribou Island. A small shell-heap, 
now entirely washed away, existed on the high cliff at the west end of the 
farm of Mr. Joseph Fraser, Caribou island, according to Mr. Fraser, who 
stated that, he had found chipped points for arrows, celts, a double-bitted 
adze, and grooved axes. 
Site at Tatamagouche. There are evidences of occupation at Tatama- 
gouche, according to Patterson (c, page 673). 
ANIMAL AND PLANT RESOURCES OF THE PREHISTORIC 
PEOPLE 
The prehistoric people of Merigomish harbour depended on a variety 
of natural products, but no indications were found that they relied particu- 
larly upon any one staple. Some of the materials used are suggested 
by the specimens found in the shell-heaps. Bones were not numerous. 
FOOD 
For food they could choose from the ordinary mammals, birds, and 
fishes. They ate black bear, moose, deer, dog, raccoon, woodchuck, 
porcupine, beaver, muskrat, rabbit, squirrel, whale, seal, walrus, birds, 
and fish, as shown by the bones or teeth of these animals found in the 
heaps. 
They ate shell-fish in great quantities, the same kinds that are today 
considered edible, although they ate a larger proportion of mussels than 
is now customary. Perhaps they also prepared them at the shell-heap 
localities for transport to other places, or for barter. The shells of quahog, 
clam, hen clam, soft-shellecl clam, oyster, and the common mussel were 
found in great quantities. The shells of horse mussel, moon shell-fish, 
boat shell-fish of several kinds, and a spiral shell-fish, were less numerous. 
No ridged shells of the mussels commonly known as plaited horse mussels 
(Modiola ( Brachydontes ) demissa Dilwyn) were found in any of the heaps, 
although this mussel is now numerous in the tidal ponds behind the spit 
on the western end of Olcling island. Some of the oyster shells found in 
