I 
Cliff Dwellers . - This term.is often applied to designate the 
former dwellers in the cliffs of the arid region, who without ques 
tion belonged, at least in the main, to the group of tribes 
now Known as the pueblos or town-builders. The plateau 
country of Arizona, Hew Mexico, Colorado, and Utah abounds in 
natural ’? eoeasea unc " 3il ullow caverns weathered in the faces 
of the cliffs; primitive tribes on taking possession of the 
region, although by preference, no doubt, settling in the val¬ 
leys along the running streams, would'in many 
occupy the ready-made shelters for residence, 
cases naturally 
storage, and 
burial, and for hiding and defense in tine of danger. This 
occupancy would in time lead to the building of marginal v; alls 
for projection and houses within for dwelling, and later on to 
the enlargement of the rooms by excavation when the formations 
permitted, and finally to the excavation of commodious dwell¬ 
ings such as are now found in many sections of the arid re¬ 
gion. Archeologists thus find it convenient to distinguish 
