APPENDIX 4 



KEPOKT ON THE BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report on the field 

 researches, office work, and other operations of the Bureau of Ameri- 

 can Ethnology during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1931, conducted 

 in accordance with the act of Congress approved April 19, 1930. 

 The act referred to contains the following item : 



American ethnology : For continuing etlinological researches among the Amer- 

 ican Indians and the natives of Hawaii, the excavation and preservation of 

 archeologic remains under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, includ- 

 ing necessary employees, the preparation of manuscripts, drawings, and illus- 

 trations, the purchase of books and periodicals, and traveling expenses, $70,280. 



M. W. Stirling, chief, left Washington during the latter part of 

 January to continue his archeological researches in Florida. On the 

 way south he took the opportunity to investigate a number of archeo- 

 logical sites in several of the Southern States, notably a group of 

 mounds which had been reported in the vicinity of High Point, N. C, 

 and two mound sites on Pine Island in the Tennessee River in 

 northern Alabama. 



A few days were spent in the vicinity of Montgomery, Ala,, exam- 

 ining the early historic sites being investigated there by the Alabama 

 Anthropological Society. A large mound had been reported in the 

 vicinity of Flomaton, Ala. ; this was visited and found to be a natural 

 formation. 



Continuing down the west coast of Florida, Mr. Stirling visited 

 briefly the archeological sites at Crystal River, Safety Harbor, and 

 Alligator Creek. The principal work for the season was commenced 

 on February 5 on Blue Hill Island south of Key Marco, one of the 

 northernmost of the Ten Thousand Island Group. A large sand 

 burial mound was excavated and found to be of early post-Columbian 

 Calusa origin. Excavation of the mound disclosed a number of inter- 

 esting structural features quite unusual in Florida sand mounds. 

 Six feet above the base of the mound a clay floor was encountered 

 which gave evidence of having been the base of a temple structure, 

 as it was surrounded by post holes and in some instances by the 

 decayed remains of the wooden uprights still in place. This struc- 

 ture had evidently been destroyed and the mound subsequently 

 enlarged by adding 6 feet more of sand above the original substruc- 

 ture. Numerous burials were encountered both above and below the 

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