HRDLICKA| SKELETAL REMAINS 61 
places are irregularly scattered throughout the mass of shells at dif- 
ferent levels. Shell implements and some fragments of culinary pot- 
tery were encountered, but no burials. 
Situated near the base of the promontory and not covered by the 
shell mound is the so-called hammock land, a layer of black soil com- 
posed largely of decayed organic matter mixed with sand. There are 
several depressions in this piece of land, which to-day is covered by 
an orange orchard. One such depression is situated between the 
shell mound, near its southeastern end, and a low burial mound over 
which passes a wagon road leading to Mr. Webb’s residence. It was 
in this hollow, less than 30 feet from the base of the burial mound, 
that Mr. Webb discovered in 1871 his first human fossil, the specimen 
now known as the Osprey skull. Mr. Webb, who is still alive and 
in good health, conducted the writer to the locality, and there, with 
the assistance of a laborer, a trench was dug 15 feet long, 6 feet wide, 
and a little more than 3 feet deep. No bones-were found, but the 
character and condition of 
the deposits was seen to ad- 
vantage (figure 9). Imme- 
diately below the surface were 
mom 15 to 20 cm. (6: to 8 
inches) of black soil, somewhat 
mixed with white sand, under 
which was a layer of white ore io ee eee ae 
sand. ‘Tyro fect below the sm- "pats of jure noting wetn of 
face this layer showed patches 20 em. (6 to 8 in.); b, White sand, showing in lower 
r ; parts yellow patches due to ferruginous deposits, 50 
of yellowish to rusty discolora- to 60 em. (20 to 24 in.); ¢, About where Osprey skull 
ode p eran Gin) blow aioe, Biot eee 
osition cf iron. Some shells 
were found in this sand, but no concretions. Seventy-four em. (29 
inches) below the surface was encountered a more compact, greenish 
layer, consisting of sand, clay, and fine gravel; this extended to the 
full depths of the excavation. The limonite skull was recovered from 
the middle of the sandy layer, and presumably, from the description, 
near its base. 
The exact location of the North Osprey find was not remembered 
by Mr. Webb (the information given was obtained subsequently 
from his son) and in consequence the spot could not be located, but it 
also was in the dry bed of a small pond. 
It remained to explore the locality where the South Osprey skeleton 
was found. Mr. Webb led the party to the spot. Since the date of 
the find the shore has suffered some loss by erosion, but the general 
conditions remain unchanged (figure 10). The shore is low, the 
elevation averaging perhaps 2 feet above high tide. Beginning at the 
surface the soil consists (figure 11) of a layer of varying depth much 
