CERTAIN ABORIGINAL MOUNDS, CENTRAL FLORIDA W.-COAST. 415 



No whole vessels were found, but a portion of one, uudecorated, had a basal 

 perforation carefully rounded after the fracture. 



Here and there in the mound, unassociated, were several flakes and fragments, 

 of chert, an arrowhead or knife, and a hxnce-head, of the same material. 



Running through the mound for a number of feet, was a deposit of sand dyed 

 red with hematite. 



MorxD XEAR Batport. Hernando County. 



Bayport is at the mouth of the Wekiwoochee river. 



The mound, owner unknown, lay in scrub and pine, about one mile in a north- 

 erly direction from the town. One small hole was the only previous digging 

 noticed by us, but, at the center, there seemed to be a certain flattening as though 

 a building had been there, and that such had been the case was the belief in Bay- 

 port. As the mound was on a natural elevation and no base-line was at any time 

 apparent, we found it impossible to decide as to height. Judging from appearances, 

 the altitude was 3 feet 7 inches, but as nothing showing human origin is believed to 

 have been found during the digging, at a depth greater than 2 feet, the mound may 

 have been lower than it apj^eared. The diameters of base, as taken by us, were 84 

 feet N. and S., and 76 feet E. and W., but here again, our judgment maj-have been 

 at fault. At all events, one burial and sherds at various points, were found soon 

 after digging began. The area as given above was completely dug through. 



Burials were found marginally in various parts of the mound and continued to 

 be met with, occasionally, until the more central j^arts of the mound were reached, 

 when they were fairly numerous. All were so badly decayed that no bones were 

 saved. Such crania as were sufficiently preserved to allow determination showed 

 no sign of flattening. In all but three cases, the form of burial was of the ordinary 

 bunched variety. Of these bunches, thirty-four had one skull ; four bunches had 

 two skulls ; four bunches had three skulls ; one had four skulls ; one had six 

 skulls; one bunch had seven skulls. Three bunches had no crania with them. 



Three other bunches had with them small deposits of fragments of calcined 

 human bones. Twice the deposits were mingled with some unburnt bones belong- 

 ing to the bunched burials. In these cases the calcined fragments were so few in 

 number that a fractional part of the skeleton only was represented. The third 

 deposit, near a burial, but not in contact, was somewhat larger, perhaps amounting 

 to several quarts. 



With various burials were : three conch-shells and bits of pottery ; certain 

 fragments of earthenware ; two earthenware vessels in fragments ; a bit of chert ; 

 six conch-shells ; two implements made from marine univalves i^Fulgur perversum 

 and Fasciolarid) by removing part of the body-whorl ; sand dyed with hematite ; 

 sand less deeply tinged with the red oxide ; two small shells much decayed ; one 

 "celt." 



Over one burial was a large fragment of what must have been a bowl of 

 great size, of inferior ware, roughly decorated. On the fragment was one large 

 loop-shaped handle. 



