liar feature in these is that the bevel is almost invariably towards the right; in hundreds of specimens I have found only one the other way. This would indicate a right-handed people.

In case he wanted feathers and fine furs for gorgeous raiment, and wished to avoid soiling them, he made "bunts" or blunt arrow-points, square or rounded, instead of pointed, at the tip; these would cripple or kill small game without puncturing the skin. He made them direct from a flake, or by chipping down a broken arrow of the ordinary form. In the same way he made small scrapers for cleaning these skins, the difference being that the bunts were so chipped as to bring the front edge in the median line of the flint, while the scrapers were worked in such a way as to bring the edge in the line of one face. When made from a flake the entire chipping was done from the concave side-the fracture of flint being always conchoidal. These scrapers were also used for smoothing wood-as we use broken glass-and were very good for removing the scales from fish.

Speaking of fish, Primogenus used flint in different ways in catching them. One way was to chip out a slen. der piece, sharp at both ends. To the middle of this he tied his line and took a half hitch around one point; this brought the "hook" or bait-holder parallel to the line; over it the bait was placed. When swallowed by a fish, a slight jerk released the loop, and the flint taking a position at right angles to the line, held the fish firmly. Again, he used a spear, the head of which was very slender, and often barbed on one side only, the other side being straight. Or instead of having a spear-head, he set a row of narrow, thin flakes, inclining backwards, along each side of a slender rod, which he used as a harpoon or spear.

Other uses of these small flakes were, to make arrowtips, lancets for bleeding or scarifying, saws (by setting a number of them side by side) for cutting bone and shell,

and for shaving, though this was not common, the prevailing fashion being to use a small mussel-shell as a nipper and jerk the hairs out by the root; a process which caused Primogenus to rejoice greatly that it never had to be undergone the second time.

I have already mentioned the use of flint drills; but I am convinced the name is wrongly applied in most instances, the material being too brittle for perforating any but thin or soft substances. Many were no doubt used for making holes in skin or leather, though a bone needle was much better suited for this, besides being more easily made; and many which have never been classed as drills in any work on the subject, show unmistakable marks of such use; but all such are thick pieces with diamond or triangular section.

In every variety of articles made of stone, may be found specimens which have been broken and reworked; and many features may be observed which cannot be explained with our present knowledge. For example, all finely worked leaf-shaped implements having notches cut in at an angle of about 45° with the longer axis, and nearly all with a straight base and tangs projecting beyond the barbs, have the base blunted and polished as if from longcontinued use as scrapers or cutting implements. It is on the unused part of the flint; and cannot be due to rubbing in a handle by becoming loose, for this would polish the sides also. Such perplexing little matters are

very numerous.

Should the reader, because "it looks easy enough," undertake to make a few relics on his own account, he will find it more difficult than he thinks; and yet this part will be much easier than palming off his modern pieces upon the veteran collector.

GERARD FOWKE, Columbus, Ohio.

NOTE:-In the collection of the Society may be seen a series representing every stage of flint impléments from the rough block to the finished specimen; along with the hammers, cores and flakes belonging to the work.

A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MOUND OPENING

Done During the Months of July and August, 1888, by Warren K. Moorehead and Clinton Cowen.

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IT occurred to me a number of times last year to spend the summer in opening mounds. I had done considerable of this work in several counties of our State, but had never spent more than one continuous week in the field.j When the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition opened in July, and I was free from my duties (having been actively engaged in mounting a collection for exhibition), I engaged the services of Mr. C. Cowen, of Dennison University, as Superintendent, and set out for the interior of Clermont county. I engaged three Irishmen and on July 9th, five of us began the demoliation of a mound on Richard Shumard's farm, Stone Lick township. The mound is situated on a high point of land overlooking the deep and narrow gorge of Rock Run.

The mound was twenty-five feet in diameter and about three feet high. It had never been disturbed by plow or spade. We commenced at the east side and dug the whole of it out. The work occupied four hours.

About one foot from the surface a layer of charcoal was found which extended over the entire mound. This layer was quite uniform and about three inches thick. Immediately below this in the center was a large flat stone, and slightly below the large stone, other stones-limestones brought from the creek below. Under the stones was a medium sized skeleton, much decayed. On the breast bone of this skeleton was a small rough celt of greenstone. A short bone awl was near the body on the right side. Just below the skeleton was a small quantity of red ochre. There was nothing else in the mound.

MOUND NUMBER TWO.

Before Number Two was opened some stone graves

along Stone Lick creek were dug open. Although the work was thoroughly carried out nothing save single skeletons were found.

This mound was situated, on Harvey Anderson's farm,` Jackson township, Clermont county. It is on high ground, but not near any stream The mound had been plowed over many times and stands only eight feet high. Old residents say it once was nearly twenty feet in altitude.

We began work on this mound Thursday A. M., July 12th. We were two days in completing the excavations. The dimensions of the structure are 75 x 95 x 8 ft.

We began a wide trench at the eastern side and continued this to the center. We widened the trench at the' center until all the mound was "rimmed out" save the outer edges. Nothing was overlooked. Up to Thursday noon we found nothing. There were no layers in the edge of the mound, everything seemed placed within ten feet of the center. About two o'clock we came upon large quantities of burnt clay. This was not placed in a layer, nor had it the shape of an altar. It was a rough, ill-shaped mass. Through it was charcoal freely intermingled. Beyond this mass of clay was a decayed skull. All the parts of the skull were present, but none of the other bones of the body. The skull showed action of fire the teeth were burnt black. That night we quit work five feet from the center on the east side. Our trench was about twenty-five feet wide and seven feet deep.

The next morning we found three feet from the surface, in the center, a skeleton well preserved. No objects were interred with the body. A rough layer of bark had been placed above this individual, and an experienced woodsman present claimed the bark was elm and hickory. The weight of the earth above had pressed this bark into a thin layer scarcely a quarter of an inch thick, The width of it was two feet, the length seven. Just below this skeleton were three layers of earth. The first white,

1

the second sand, the third red burnt clay. The thickness of each was six inches. Below this last layer was a de cayed skeleton and a mass of black and yellow soil slightly burnt. This skeleton laid with head to the west as did the other. The extremities of this one were badly charred.

At a distance of five feet from the upper surface were found three (called for want of a better name) "post holes." These holes were 8 x 14 inches and contained dust that resembled decayed wood. The sides of them were burnt to prevent caving in. In one of these holes three small mussel shells and fifteen snail shells were found. When six feet from the surface a few fragments of pottery, deer bones and snail shells occurred. The deer antlers were broken in small pieces. There were half a dozen of them. A large slab of limestone, very interesting, found at seven feet depth, contained the perfect imprint of seven human ribs. In some parts

of the disintegrated stone the fragments of ribs still adhered. This was preserved, but in three days had crumbled into a mass of lime and sand. in the crevices, but it would not keep. been subjugated to great heat.

Varnish was put
This stone had

Nothing further was found except a rough small celt. When the work was completed we stepped back to look at the sides. The various colored layers and streaks showed up beautifully. Indeed the red and white were as pure as could be painted. There were seven shades represented, red, yellow, black, brown, pink, white, grey.j Mound number three contained nothing.

Mound number four contained nothing of importance

Mound number FIVE.

This mound was situated on the farm of John Boyle, Perry Township, Brown County, Ohio. The owner is a wealthy and cultivated gentleman and gave us permission to open another mound of his four miles further north.