Excellent questions. I hope someone who knows will spell it out for us. It has been my presumption that "Death Index" was informal usage for the census "Mortality Schedule," drawn from the census itself. I'm completely at sea, though, when it comes to the bound and published "Mortality Schedules" that one can find for some states only--and only for some census years. The only one I own is the 1850 Alabama Mortality Schedule, and I've found it quite helpful. Now, where are the rest? In their absence, we're forced to rely on the handfull of "County Records" abstracts published by Marilyn Davis Barefield and others like her. These books have room for more source materithan a "regular" county history, but choices must still be made as to what to print and what to leave out. Maybe we can get one of the special interest chat groups to give us a 'talk" on the subject. How 'bout it, you guys? Al Hill