190 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [1884. 



nothing but sharp, unsightly projections, depressions and deep 

 holes. Along the rivers the waves make mam'- small caverns 

 xmder the shore. 



East of the narrow, rocky belt, lining the shore, the land is 

 sandy and rises to the height of about 200 feet at a distance of 

 from twelve to twenty miles from the coast. The highest land 

 near the coast is at Moiint Lee, in Hernando Co., twelve miles from 

 the Gulf, and four miles east of the source of the Homosassa River. 



The summit of this hill is 200 feet above the sea, and it 

 terminates abruptly, on the west side, in a rocky bluff 100 feet 

 high. From the top an extensive view may be obtained of the 

 surrounding country, an opportunity seldom afforded in middle 

 and southern Florida. Under this hill are several caverns which 

 have not been opened for exploration ; but the noise from falling 

 stones indicates a considerable depth in them. A rib of a manatee 

 has latel}^ been dug from the soil in a small cave in the side of 

 the hill. The limestone at this place is hard and fine grained ; 

 and if found to be free from fissures, it will prove to be a desirable 

 building stone. The surface of this rock is rugged and unsightly ; 

 having been eroded in the usual, uneven manner. 



About five miles northeast of Mount Lee the writer discovered a 

 second locality of Nummulites Willcoxi^ at an altitude of nearly 

 200 feet above the sea. They are associated with Orbitoides and 

 Heterostegina and Pecten, as determined by Prof. Heilprin. 



The shore of the Gulf of Mexico abounds with multitudes of 

 shells of king-crabs, suggestive of a great mortality among them. 

 At low tide the writer found one king-crab lying upon its back 

 with Fasciolaria tulipa on top of it, eating its vitals. Near by 

 was found another lying on its back, upon which were 25 mollusks 

 (Melongena corona) eating it. 



In Clearwater Harbor, north of Tampa Bay, the sea-urchins, 

 during the first week in April, are covered with shells arranged 

 upon them with system and dexterity, so that they are obscured 

 from view. 



Prof. Leidy, when informed of this habit, suggested that it 

 might have some connection with the process of spawning. This 

 suggestion is plausible, as in the same waters in January, though 

 abundant, none of them were found to be covered with any 

 material. Prof. A. Agassiz ^ states that " the sea-ui'chins, in 



' Sec Seaside Studies in Nat. History, page 101. 



