equipped the \v(jrk is accomplished under difficulties. Violent 

 sand storms constantly pelt one with grit and pebbles, and fill 

 with drift the partly opened trenches. 



Three complete skeletons in excellent condition were se- 

 cured and many fragmentary specimens, confirming two dis- 

 tinctive methods of burial. 



In June, 1914, the unusual severity of the early spring 

 storms had uncovered a vast burial field, comprising over a hun- 

 dred graves, on the northerly plateau of San Nicolas Island. 

 The disturbed condition of the burial sites prevented any sys- 

 tematic observations of all the remains, partially unearthed and 

 again covered by a peculiar formation of sand aft'ected by sea 

 spray and salt-laden winds, composing a hard, resisting crust, 

 over which loose sand is being continual)} heaped and shifted. 



Protruding from the hard, salt-incrusted sand talus, the 

 posterior parts of three skeletons were observed, partly expo.secr, 

 and bleached by the action of the sun and wind. Owing to the 

 fact that the original ]:)Ositions appeared to have been undis- 

 turbed by the elements they seemed to represent the normal 

 forms of burial, and were selected as museum types for careful 

 exhumation and study. 



The first skeleton found, that of a female, has been in- 

 stalled in the hall of the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, 

 California; the second, a male, has been temporarily placed on 

 exhi!)ition at the San Diego Panama-California Exposition, as 

 the Museum's contrilnUion to that most imjjMrtant display of 

 Southwestern ethnology ever attempted. The third, also a male, 

 will be placed in the Aluseum later. 



Buried in the ferruginous earth all three skeletons had taken 

 the distinctive brownish color characteristic of the remains of 

 that region, the bleached whiteness of the exposed portions pre- 

 senting a striking contrast. 



The positions of the three skeletons were the same, more 

 than twenty less complete specimens showing a uniform mode of 

 interment. The dead had been laid, udt horizontally, but 

 crouched in a ball, the lower limbs drawn toward the head, in 

 the posture so quaintly descrilied in the "Relation des Jesuites" 

 of 1636 concerning the burial customs of the Hurons ; "Quasi en 

 la mesme posture que les enfants sont au ventre de la mere." 

 (In the same posture that a child has in his mother's womb.) 

 The head in each case was slightly turned toward the East, the 

 left hand closed and placed near the left ear, the right — holding 

 in its grasp a beautiful white quartz crystal sufficient in size 

 to fill the palm — resting on the right ear. About the neck was a 

 circlet of large bits of charcoal. At each of the cardinal points 

 a fire had been kindled ; south of each skeleton had been placed a 

 broken stone bowl and pestle, north of it shells and ornaments. 



In the case of the female skeleton the lower maxillary was 

 held in place by a lance head of black quartz, six inches in lengtn. 



12 



