The Animal Effigies of Wisconsin. 
321 
carefully studied and the system contained in them, as far as 
possible, made out. 
It is maintained by the writer that there is a remarkable re¬ 
semblance between this symbolism which is embodied in the 
animal effigies and that which prevailed in the far east, and 
which can be recognized in the symbols of the constellations 
which have come down to us from the most ancient times. 
More than this, there are geometrical figures embodied in the 
mounds of Ohio and elsewhere which correspond with those 
which are found in Europe and which seem to belong to a sys¬ 
tem which is nearly as old as the animal figures. 
There is also a resemblance between the pyramids of Mex¬ 
ico and Central America and those found in Babylonia. This 
may seem like carrying the subject far afield, but it gives force 
to another comparison which has already been drawn, and which 
has been brought to the notice of the members of the Academy 
of Science. This resemblance between the totems which were 
embodied in the effigies and the tribal emblems which were so 
prominent in the dying words of the patriarch Jacob. 
This broad view is of especial importance in the mind of the 
writer. 
The details of exploring and plotting of the animal effigies 
were carried out by the various surveyors such as Dr. I. A. Lap- 
ham, W. M. Canfield and the earlier surveyors who were laying 
out the township lines under the direction of the United States 
government. 
But no one has undertaken to show the resemblance between 
the system embodied in the effigies and that system which is 
known to have prevailed in the land of the east. 
There are today tribes in Arabia which have the names of 
animals to designate them, and they have retained to a degree 
the same tribal organizations which prevailed thousands of 
years ago. 
Now, this parallel development of the totem system which 
can be recognized by a study of the different systems which have 
existed in various parts of the world, and different periods of 
time is certainly worthy of attention, for it is suggestive, and 
