Leaving the town we followed the river bottom to the eastward for nearly three miles and found ourselves at the foot of a mesa, which from the surroundings seemed to be the desired spot; at first sight it appeared unapproachable, but upon a careful search a rude trail was discovered which led to the summit, and we saw before us the pueblo. A brief description of the appearance of the top of the mesa and ruins may perhaps be permitted. Seen from above, the mesa presents the appearance of a table land and is simply a promontory of land in a trapezoidal shape, and two approaches to it were seen on either side, which were water-washed canons; the front and sides of this promontory are steep and precipitous and admit of no access, and are from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet high. A better position for defence could hardly have been chosen, as the defenders of the town in ancient days had no fear of artillery, without which, an attack could hardly have been successful. The ruins before us indicated that the town had been built in the shape of a double L, having open areas on either side; at the anterior south-western corner had been a circular tower, doubtless to defend the approach from the western canon, and another defended the only entrance to the town. The walls of black vesicular lava, had been built double and the partition walls showed the division of the building into dwellings or rooms. The dimensions of the town have already been given elsewhere, so are now omitted. In one of the areas were the remains of a circular estufa. On each side of the town were noticed two small arroyas or water-washed ditches within thirty feet of the walls, and a careful examination of these revealed the objects of our search. At the bottom of the arroyas, which have certainly formed subsequent to the occupation of the village, we found portions of human remains, and following up the walls of the ditch, we soon had the pleasure of discovering several skeletons in situ. The first found was in the eastern arroya, and the grave in depth was nearly eight feet below the surface of the mesa. The body had been placed in the grave face downward, the head pointing to the south. Two feet above the skeleton were two shining black earthen vases containing small bits of charcoal, the bones of mammals, birds and partially consumed corn, and above. these "ollas" the earth to the surface was filled with pieces of charcoal. Doubtless the remains found in the vases served at a funereal feast

prior to inhumation. We examined very carefully this grave hoping

to find some utensils, ornaments or weapons, but none rewarded our search. In all of the graves examined the bodies were found in similar positions and under similar circumstances in both arroyas, several of the skeletons being children. Unfortunately most of the bones were too fragile for preservation and crumbled in exposure to air, but enough specimens were secured to richly repay our labor. One of the crania, probably female, is asymmetrical and has been carefully described by my friend Dr. E. Bessels, in one of Prof. Hayden's Bulletins. No information could be obtained as to the probable age of these interments, the present Indians considering them as dating from the time when their ancestors with Moctezuma came from the north. I have been unable to hear of any similar graves in New Mexico, but trust that further explorations may enlighten us. In view of the fact that Indians as a rule are not in the habit of burying their dead in close proximity to their dwellings, these interments may be considered as curious, and perhaps as having a special significance, for no physical reasons existed which would have prevented the deposition of their dead in many other places better suited in every way, moreover the position of the bodies is to say the least remarkable.

Of the manner of burial in vogue among the present Indians of New Mexico with the exception of the Pueblos, little is known. The Capote Utes and Jicarilla Apaches bury their dead either under piles of rocks in the mountains or in caves, the Navajos probably of late years, bury "American fashion," and the Pueblos have their regular "campos sanctos," or else bury in the floors of their churches. This we observed at the Pueblo of San Ildefonso. I trust, however, ere long to be in possession of facts regarding other methods of the disposal of the dead among the New Mexican Indians hitherto unrecorded.

H. C. YARROW.

Sir Joseph Hooker, president of the Royal Gardens at Kew, Lieut. Gen. Stearchy, Royal Geographical Society, with Prof. Asa Gray of Harvard and Prof. Leidy of the University of Pennsylvania, accompany Prof. F. V. Hayden, on a scientific exploration through Colorado, after which they will proceed to Utah and California.

Mrs. Maxwell's Colorado Museum.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

(Continued from page 214 June number.)

JUNCO CANICEPS, (Woodh.)-A very remarkable specimen of this bird, is in the collection. It differs from the usual, and we may say almost constant, plumage of the species, in having two well-defined bars of white on the wings, and in having a conspicuous tinge of bright rufous on the pileum, the plumage being otherwise normal. None of the species of Junco now known are characterized, even in part, by having rufous on the crown; but several tend in their variations to the other character, i. e. the white wing-bars; this feature being almost constant in J. aikeni. We have frequently seen this variation in J. annectens, and an adult male of J. oregonus in our own collection exhibits the same remarkable feature. The fact that this barring of the wings has become a permanent feature of one species, while it occasionally, but very rarely, occurs in three or more others, suggests the question of whether we do not see in this evidence of the present genesis of species; and whether these characters, now unstable, may not through accelterated hereditary transmittal become permanent, thus characterizing, in due time, new forms.

JUNCO ANNECTENS, (Baird).-An adult specimen, probably a female, since it is smaller than the males in the National Museum and other collections, differs from typical examples in having the pinkish of the sides invading the whole breast and strongly tinging the throat. In other respects, however, it does differ from ordinary specimens. Its measurements are as follows: Wing, 3.20; tail, 2.80; bill, from nostril, .35; tarsus, .78.

ROBERT RIDGWAY.

The Sacrificial Stone Collars.

But few persons have visited the hall of Archaeology in the National Museum who have not stopped before these objects, inspired with wonder at their curious form, their neat workmanship, and their unexpected number. They come from the Antilles and the mainland of Honduras, Yucatan and Guatemala and seem to have been in use wherever the ancient Carib race predominated. The form is an ovoid ring

thicker and rounder at the great bend, cut out of a single mass of stone of the hardest and toughest description, such as syenite, diorite, basalt, &c., sculptured with raised lines and figures, and often smoothed to a polish. The number of these seems to be very great as if almost it were a piece of household furniture. The form, there is good reason to believe as may be seen further on, seems to have been derived from that of a large snake holding its tail in its mouth, but in every case the opening is wide enough to admit of the ring being passed over a man's head, resting on his shoulders and around his neck. Its great resemblance to the ordinary horse collar is suggested to every one and has originated the speculation that its use was a clog on the neck of a slave to prevent escape. But the ease with which it can be removed, and the brittle nature of the material, readily broken by a sharp blow with a stone, deprives that speculation of any force. The idea has been gaining ground in Europe and this country that this ring was used for strangling the victim in human sacrificing.

The Deity worshipped in the countries above named, as well as in Mexico, was the Sun, and in all of them the captives taken in war, or criminals otherwise secured were offered up on the altars usually built on the top of great artificial mounds of a pyramidal form. The pictorial representation of the scene as it was witnessed in Mexico shows a human being stretched lengthwise on the table or altar of sacrifice with face upwards, and whilst the extremities were held fast by the attendant priests the High priest with a sharp obsidian knife cut through the ribs and sternum, quickly extracting the heart from the chest, and held it up to the god of Day in sight of the multitude assembled at the foot of the pyramid.

There is nothing, however, in these pictures to show the use of the collar for strangulation, and the first definite information conveyed to us on the subject, accompanied a specimen of large size and great weight in form of the letter U, sent from Guatemala. The donor Capt. J. M. Dow, of the Pacific Mail Steamship service understood. from the Bishop of Guatemala, that he knew from tradition or from the MS. narratives, deposited in his diocese, from the ancient Catholic friars who came over with the Spanish Conquerors, that the purpose for which these implements were employed was as above intimated.

There is a history of Yucatan by one of these missionary fathers,

named Cogolludo, bearing date about A. D. 1658, which throws additional light upon the subject. The book is almost unknown, is out of print in Yucatan, was never translated, has been seen by very few, and being chiefly a history of the dealings of the church with the aborigines, has fallen into obscurity. It is voluminous, illdigested and confused, repelling any attempt to study it. But as every additional item of information is desirable, his statement is here brought forward as worthy of consideration in settling the question. He does not seem to have been an eye witness, but obtained from cotemporary Indians a narrative of what they had themselves observed and from one who had been a priest but was subsequently converted. The account he gives is somewhat as follows.

The scene is at Uxmal in Yucatan. The pyramidal mound cased with stone is known to be eighty-eight feet high to the top of its platform, on which is erected the temple itself, attaining an additional height of thirty-five feet. The building is exceedingly elaborate and loaded with ornamental sculpture in bas-relief. The stair by which the platform is reached is on the Eastern side, is one hundred and two feet high, seventy feet wide and containing ninety steps; these are very narrow and consequently the asent is steep and difficult. The venerable padre says he once asended these steps, and when he attempted to descend repented the undertaking for his sight failed him, he became confused and was in danger of being precipitated to the bottom. the apartments of the building hideously repulsive idols were still standing and it was in this presence that sacrifices were made of men, women and children. Beyond doubt this temple was a great Teocalis, the temple of idols worshipped by the people of Uxmal. The ceremony consisted in conducting the victims, entirely naked, one by one, up the great great stairway, guarded by priests and attended by the High priest. He carried in his hands a large broad sharp knife, made of flint, whilst another priest carried a wooden collar wrought like a snake.

The victim being laid face upwards on the stone altars had the collar put upon his neck, and four priests took hold of the hands and feet. Then the High priest with wonderful dexterity ripped up the breast, tore out the heart, reeking with blood, with his hands, and held it upwards towards the Sun making an offering of the heart and the steam that issued from it. Then he turned to the idol and threw