4 TRANSACTIONS OF THE WAGNER FREE 



limestone the " Miliolite Limestone," representing one of four distinct 

 types of foraminiferal rock found in the State, the others being the 

 Orbitoide, Nummulitic, and Orbitolite limestones. It certainly forms 

 part either of the Oligocene formation or of the Upper Eocene, much 

 more likely the former, and may possibly be in part synchronous with a 

 portion of the West European miliolite rock. 



The banks of the Homosassa are beautifully wooded, presenting in 

 the profusion of the palmetto and yucca growths a partially tropical 

 aspect. I was much surprised at the general absence of indications of 

 animal life, the forest being as silent as the inner recesses of our more 

 sombre northern wilds. An occasional flock of herons or white ibises 

 would, perhaps, for a moment cloud the firmament, a mullet spring from 

 the water, or the cardinal grosbeak peal its clear whistle, but otherwise an 

 impressive silence pervaded the entire solitude. This was in marked 

 contrast to some of our later experiences, and was probably accidental. 

 A few days before our arrival, I was informed by Mr. Wheeler, a large 

 spotted cat, of a light color, and somewhat smaller in size than the 

 panther or Florida lion, had been killed in this neighborhood. To my 

 numerous inquiries as to its identity with a species of lynx or catamount, 

 or one of the better-known tiger-cats, I was only able to elicit a nega- 

 tive reply. Its distinctness from all of these forms was independently 

 confirmed by our cook, an experienced huntsman of the upper Homo- 

 sassa, whom we obtained later in the course of the day. Is it possible 

 that the ocelot is an inhabitant of these wilds, and that it should have 

 escaped the notice of traveling naturalists ? 



OFF THE CHEESHOWISKA RIVER. On the 1 6th .and i/th the " Ram- 

 bler" remained at anchor off" the mouth of the Cheeshowiska River, giving 

 us an opportunity to explore several miles of this exquisitely beautiful 

 stream. The vast oyster reef at its mouth rendered the passage of the 

 channel intricate, and in a manner dangerous, and on our return journey 

 one of the boats had to be partially relieved of its load and hauled over 

 the shells. On John's Island, which guards the mouth of the river 

 within the reef, we found innumerable aboriginal implements, some very 

 rude, others more perfect, fashioned from a siliceous rock which appears 

 to be identical with the rock exposed on a small island about three miles 

 S. E. of the mouth of the Homosassa. The great number of partially 

 finished implements and chips, and the masses of the nearly crude rock 

 lying about, leave little doubt in my mind that the island, as first 

 suggested by Mr. Willcox, was the true factory where these implements 

 were manufactured. 



At low water a somewhat spongy limestone, containing numerous 

 molluscan impressions and a few Orbitoides, appears on the ocean front; 



