SOME REMAINS of ANTIQUITY. 205 



Perhaps, the figures of children and birds, which were 

 found in the tombs of Florida, by Soto, were made of 

 the mica, or itztli. It is true, they are faid to have been 

 made of " pearl." 



Colonel Sargent fays that " a few pounds of very rich 

 lead-ore were found in the grave," along with the other 

 articles. It is probable, that this ore was buried with 

 the perfon, merely as a part of his property. 



The articles which I fuppofe to have been defigned 

 for fuperftitious purpofes, are the reprefentation of a 

 bird's head and beak, and the bone engraven with hiero- 

 glyphicks, or marks. 



I fhall firft fpeak of the bird's head. It is highly pro- 

 bable, that this is only part of an idol, or image, which 

 belonged to the perfon whofe bones were found, along 

 with the articles, in the tumulus. But this is only a 

 conjecSture. 



1 am not able to afcertain what bird this idol was de- 

 figned to reprefent. Perhaps, it is not the a£tual repre- 

 fentation of any exiftent bird, but a mere creation of 

 fancy. I am inclined, however, to think that it is the 

 likenefs of fome real fpecies, though I am fenfible that 

 the imagination often paints new forms, and in particular 

 that fuch forms are painted by the minds of individuals, 

 or of nations, when clouded by fuperftition. From 

 what will afterv.'ards be faid, it will not feem altogether 

 unlikely, that the bird's head is part of an image, the body 

 ©f v^'hich may have been the reprefentation of a man, 

 or of fome other animal, and not of a bird. 



There are feveral reafons for fuppofing, that this bird's 



head was an idol, and of courfe defigned for fome fuper- 



ftitious purpofes. I cannot difcover with what intention 



it was formed, and buried with the decea fed in the tumu- 



D d lus. 



