28 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 66 
The pottery and the bone and stone implements are all identical 
with similar artifacts of the Florida or south-eastern Indians ; while 
the human bones themselves show without exception modern fea- 
tures, with numerous characteristics which permit their identification 
also as Indian. 
The conclusions arrived at are, that the Vero finds represent 
another of those cases, which are bound to occur from time to time, 
where the circumstances seem to point to antiquity of the human 
bones, but where a thorough all-sided inquiry shows that the mass 
of the evidence is decisively against such an assumption.’ 
ALES HRDLICKA. 
TRIP: TO FORT MYERS REGION, WEST ‘COAST OF -FEORIDA 
Following the visit to Vero a trip was made to Fort Myers, Fla., 
and to several of the outlying keys, where human remains were 
reported. The particular object of this trip, was to visit a small 
island off Fort Myers known as the Demorest or Demere Key, on 
which, according to information obtained from Mr. Sam L. King 
of Bristol, Tennessee, human bones could be found “ imbedded in 
concretionary materials.” 
After arrival at Fort Myers a number of gentlemen were met 
who gave material assistance in locating and reaching the small key, 
and in making such exploration and collections on the same as were 
possible within the limited time at our disposal. Those who should 
be especially mentioned in this connection are Capt. George F’. Kinzie, 
Mr. A. H. Gillingham, and Mr. Richard Eybor. 
Demere Key, the surface of which measures about fifteen acres, 
was originally a low and swampy island, like all the small keys in 
the vicinity, but a larger part of its surface was in the course of time 
artificially elevated by the Indians, by means of shells, sand, and soil, 
for the purposes of habitation and cultivation. Along the middle of 
this large artificial elevation runs a remarkable platform about 80 
feet long, the eastern boundary of which is supported by a still fairly 
well preserved, well-made wall of conch shells. This structure has 
been briefly reported by Cushing, and by Mr. Clarence B. Moore,’ but 
its origin is in doubt. At a short distance north-east of this elevation 
there is a low, irregular heap which contains numerous Indian 
burials. On examining the surface of this heap it was found to 
* A preliminary symposium on these finds appeared in The Journal of 
Geology, No. 1, 1917; Dr. Hrdlicka’s full report will be published by the Bureau 
of American Ethnology. 
* Proc. Amer. Philosoph. Soc., Vol. 35, 1806, p. 237. 
* Antiquities of Florida, West Coast, p. 366. 
