Early Man in Minnesota. — Holmes. 
229- 
the side next the bank of the roadwa}'. In this disturbed por- 
tion a few bits of quartz were found, and to the unslvilled observer 
these might have been considered original inclusions in the gravel; 
but professor Winchell was present and gave his opinion freely 
that they were there through disturbances indicated by the mixed 
coloration. A little further on, at about the 32d foot, we came 
upon the root of a tree, the tap root of an oak, still preserved up 
to the dark soil of the surface, hei'e some twelve inches thick, and 
extending down through the strata below the water level, an ob- 
served depth of six or seven feet. Having partly rotted, the root 
was surrounded by blackish earth. Further on a similar root was 
encountered which had penetrated to like depth, but which was 
almost totally decayed. The space was filled with blackish sandy 
•o. . • 
^r^. - ■ ■ ._QO. C. Oo';2. 
' • . o . ° V ".'- 
i-^^dzo-^f^p^^ 
^ > .' '^C^ c}ci.-':-\--^- -,-.'-::'.i°:: C'^^^""'.':: : 
.■D.03 
Fig. 3. Detailed section of talus and normal gravels, sliowuif; diHturl)an<'es by crumbling 
and sliding, and by growth and decay of oak roots. 
loam containing to some depth bits of gravel descended from the 
surface beds of heterogeneous materials. 
In the normal deposits beyond these roots there was no trace of 
disturbance or of abnormal discoloration; neither was there a trace 
of flaked (juartz, although hours of patient search were expended 
upon the full exposure of the undisturbed deposits extending to a 
foot or more below the water level. 
As indicated in the accompanying sections, a layer of bowlder- 
bearing gravel several inches thick, occurs at about five feet be- 
