collections of archaeological materials from Peru, it Is 
evident that the seed type characterized by large size, the 
presence of longitudinal parallel lines and winged pro- 
tuberances is the only type which occurs, and it is widely 
distributed in both time and space on the coast of Peru. 
Beginning on the north coast at Huaca Prieta it appears 
in Preceramic levels; at Castillo de Tomaval in the later 
Gallinazo period: and at Huaca de la Cruez in the much 
later Mochica period. Farther south on the central coast 
this seed type appears in the early Ancon-Supe levels at 
Aspero; and the later Inca-associated and Inca levels at 
Pachacamac. Although the cultural levels in which the 
seeds mentioned by Wittmack, Harms, and Costantin 
et Bois are not given, the age of the sites in which they 
were recovered makes it safe to attribute them to a late 
period. In other words, we have evidence that the large- 
seeded type of Lagenaria was in use in varying times 
from Preceramic through the Inca periods on the coast 
of Peru from Huaca Prieta on the north to Pachacamac 
and possibly Chincha on the south. Though one also sus- 
pects that some of the numerous gourd fruits recovered 
from sites further south produced this same broad type 
of seed, it is not possible to state definitely its presence 
there until descriptions and illustrations of material ap- 
pear in the literature. 
It is interesting to note that this large-seeded type of 
Lagenaria is unquestionably similar to seeds of gourds 
grown at the present time on the Peruvian coast. 
Through the kindness of Mr. Junius B. Bird, I have 
been able to examine modern Lagenaria seeds from the 
Chicama Valley. One sample of seeds, obtained from a 
round, bowl-shaped gourd, belongs to the large-winged 
seed-type. The other sample consists of smaller seeds 
with less pronounced wings. ‘These came from a long- 
necked gourd that resembles the fruit from which Whit- 
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