288 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



derived from the well-defined cross found upon the backs of some species 

 of the genus Atta, but there appears to be good reason for believing 

 otherwise. The cross here shown has a very highly conventionalized 

 character, quite out of keeping with the realistic drawing of the insect, 

 and, what is still more decisive, it is identical with forms found upon 

 many other objects. The conclusion is that the cross here, as elsewhere, 

 has a purely symbolic character. Spider gorgets are also mentioned 

 by A. J. Oonant in the Kansas City Eeview, Vol. I, page 400, and in 

 bis work on the Commonwealth of Missouri, page 9G, but no details are 

 given. It is probable that the objects referred to by Mi'. Conant are 

 the same as those more definitely placed by Prof. Hilder. 



The specimen shown in Fig. 4 was obtained from a mound on Fain's 

 Island, Tennessee. The disk is somewhat more convex on the front 

 than is indicated in the engraving. It is two and a half inches in 

 diameter, and is quite thin and fragile, although the surface has not 

 suffered much from decay. The margin is ornamented with twenty- 

 four veryneatly made notches or scallops. Immediately inside the border 

 on the convex side are two incised circles, on the outer of which two 

 small ijerforations for suspension have been made; inside of these, and 

 less than half an inch from the margin, is a circle of seventeen sub-tri- 

 angular perforations, the inner angle of each being much rounded. In- 

 side of this again is another incised circle, about one and one-fourth 

 inches in diameter, which incloses the highly conventionalized figure of 

 an insect resembling a spider. In a general way — in the number and 

 arrangement of the parts — this figure corresponds pretty closely to the 

 very realistic spiders of the three other disks ; in detail however, it is 

 quite unlike them. It is much more highly conventionalized — the 

 natural markings of the body being nearly all omitted, and the legs 

 being without joints and square at the tips. The cross does not appear 

 on the body, but its place is taken by a large conical perforation, made 

 entirely from the convex side. The central segment of the body is 

 round, as in the other cases; to this the four pairs of Ifgs are attached. 

 Without reference to the other specimens, it would be difficult to dis- 

 tinguish the anterior from the posterior extremity, and even with this 

 aid we cannot be quite certain. The larger extremity is somewhat tri- 

 angular in outline and is ornamented with two cross lines and two 

 eyes. Were it not for the fact that these eyes resemble so closely 

 those found in the other specimens I should call this the i^osterior 

 extremity, as the opiiosite end terminates in a pair of well-shaped 

 mandibles, the triangular space between them being cut quite through 

 the disk. The section of the body between this and the. central circle 

 also resembles the head, which suggests the conclusion either that the 

 eyes are misplaced or that, as drawn, they are only intended to represent 

 the bright spots of the insect's body. 



The rarity of these spider gorgets makes it seem rather remarkable 

 that specimens should occur in localities so widely separated as Fain's 



