THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER, FLORIDA. 



51 



be really understood, a percentage of sand being contained in the shell fish which 

 formed their principal article of diet. 1 



In the white sand layer, burials, save at the top and along the shell base of 

 the mound, were very infrequent, though toward the center a few were found. 

 Both in the shell and above it burials were contiguous at times, and at no point 

 were they widely separated. But one layer of bodies extended into the shell. 

 The bones were usually in anatomical order, though bunched skeletons were met 

 with. The mingling of forms of burial is common on the St. John's as in other 

 portions of the United States.' 2 



Crania. — No crania were saved, all being crushed and decayed beyond hope 

 of recovery. No signs of decay were observed in any teeth, though the marks of 

 an alveolar abscess were in one case apparent. In the four mandibles preserved 

 the teeth are all present. 



Humeri. — During our first two investigations at Tick Island, no notes as to 

 human remains were taken, the bones being sent direct to the Peabodj^ Museum, 

 Cambridge. 



During the third investigation 46 humeri were recovered ; of these, 16 were 

 perforated, giving a percentage of 34 - 8. 



In the course of the fourth investigation (March, 1893) extreme care was 

 taken. In no case was an instrument 3 used in the removal of sand from the fossa?, 

 while a magnifying glass was called into requisition where a shadow of a doubt 

 existed as to the nature of the perforation. During the entire investigation a 

 trained anatomist was on the ground, and, with three exceptions where determina- 

 tion was impossible, all humeri found were included in the classification. 



In the determination of sex, comparison with other portions of the skeleton 

 was sometimes employed. In other cases, where the structure of the bone left room 

 for doubt, the humerus was uniformly placed in the uncertain class. 



We have thought it well to keep separate the lists of the bones found in the 

 upper and lower strata, not through the belief that the upper laj'er was a later 

 addition to the mound or that we consider all its human remains intrusive, but it 

 seems best to keep apart the bones from the base which are beyond suspicion. 



Brown Sand or Upper Layer. 



Male. 



Female.' 



Uncertain. 



Perforated. 



Not, 



Perforated. 



Not. | Perforated. 



Not. 



Rights ... 7 

 Lefts .... 3 



10 



5 4 

 5 3 



10 7 



1 

 1 



2 



3 

 4 



7 



4 

 4 



8 



Total humeri 46 ; perforated 25 ; a percentage of 54 - 3. 



1 We have eaten both Paludince and Ampullarice in the form of soup. 



2 Fifth Annual Report, Bureau of Ethnology, page 108. 



' Gentle motion in water readily disengages sand from the fossa?. 



' The crushing in transit of one perforated humerus precludes data as to its side and size of perfora- 

 tion. The side of one imperforated humerus has been overlooked . These perforated humeri can be seen 

 at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. 



