CERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF THE FLORIDA WEST-COAST. 393 



It will be noted that the type of implement of which we write, on the west 

 coast of Florida was almost universally made from Fulgur perversum ' or Fasci- 

 olaria gigantea. 



Fulgur carica, on the average, is a much stouter shell than Fulgur perversum, 

 and was very generally in use on the east coast and on the St. Johns river for the 

 helved implements under consideration. On the west coast Fulgur carica is not 

 found, so that the aborigines of these parts were compelled to look to Fasciolaria 

 and heaviest forms oi Fulgur perversum, which, however, as our illustrations show, 

 were often amply sufficient. Fasciolaria gigantea is of rare occurrence on the east 

 coast, and we have never seen these implements made from it there. 



Irrespective of the shell in use, there are other points of divergence between 

 these implements from the west coast on one hand and from the east coast and 

 from the St. Johns river on the other. 



On the east coast and on the St. Johns the shells, practically without excep- 

 tion, have holes for the handles rudely made, — knocked out, apparently. On the 

 other hand, openings for the helves in the shells of the west coast are frequently 

 round and carefully made, as may be seen by reference to the illustrations, though 

 at times, perforations on the west coast are rude also. 



A type found only on the west coast, we believe, shows the removal of a 

 large portion of the shell on one side, as is shown in certain of the illustrations. 

 Implements of this type were found by Mr. Cushing in the muck at Marco with 

 wooden handles in place. 2 



Another feature peculiar to the west coast is the cutting of a notch into the 

 margin of the aperture opposite a perforation in the body whorl, as shown in cer- 

 tain of our illustrations, the notch taking the place of a second perforation. We 

 have seen this notch on the St. Johns river but once or twice, where it was present 

 on a Fulgur perversum with a carefully wrought hole. The shell was associated 

 with columellae of Fasciolaria, all probably an importation from the west coast. 



It is but comparatively recently that the uses of these implements wrought 

 from entire shells have been looked into with attention. 



Professor Rau figured and described 3 them as war clubs. 



In the American Naturalist (August, 1893, p. 720, et seq.) we combatted this 

 view on the grounds that many of the shells were too small to be formidable ; that 

 the size of the holes often gave evidence of handles too slender to sustain a heavy 

 shock ; that the beaks of the shells frequently showed much chipping and wear, 

 which would not be the case if kept for use in battle. We pointed out, also, that 

 the acute angle at which the heavy shells themselves were sometimes placed on the 

 handles on the east coast would indicate employment as hoes rather than use as 

 war clubs. 



1 Fulgur perversum, if held facing the observer, has its opening to the left, while Fulgur carica, 

 held in the same position, has its opening to the right. 



2 Op. cit, p. 40. 



3 Smithsonian Report, 1879, p. 222. 



50 JOURN. A. N. S. PHILA., VOL. XI. 



