CRANIA FROM THE MOUNDS OF THE ST. JOHNS RIVER, FLORIDA: 



A STUDY MADE IN CONNECTION WITH CRANIA FROM 



OTHER PARTS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



By Harrison Allen, M. D. 



Introduction. 



Out of thirty-three crania collected by Mr. Clarence B. Moore from prehistoric 

 Indian graves in Florida and presented by him to the Academy, five were found in 

 sufficiently good condition to describe. 1 The numbers of these skulls in the cata- 

 logue are as follows: 1,784, base of mound at Ginn's Grove; 1,781 and 1,782, 

 Thursby Mound ; 1,783, base of mound near Tar Landing; and 1,789, mound at 

 Hitchen's Creek, Volusia County. These numbers will be used to designate the 

 specimens in this essay. 



The specimens were almost entirely without animal matter, if one could so 

 conclude by their fragility, peculiar lightness and pot-like resonance. Mr. Moore 

 had carefully coated the skulls with shellac varnish, which.;* while serving to protect 

 them, concealed the texture in some degree. 



I propose in the first place to describe these skulls ; in the second place to 

 compare them with others from remote parts of North America ; in the third place 

 to draw such conclusions as the subject admits and to explain the novel terms 

 which have been used in the descriptions. 



While the section last named follows those which deal with descriptions it is 

 well, by way of introduction, to make a few remarks upon the subject of the 

 technical words themselves. No one can deplore more than myself the necessity 

 of introducing new terms in anatomy ; yet I could not with justice to my 

 own convictions continue the use of words which have ceased to be accurate, or 

 confine myself to inadequate phraseology from mere dread of innovation. An 

 adequate term strengthens the sentence in which it is employed ; obscurities of 

 expression are thus avoided and definitions more easily framed. 



Notwithstanding the length of time that human eraniology has been a well 

 defined field of study, the methods employed have not appealed to the judgment of 

 all students. Respecting the taking of measurements as at present interpreted, I 



1 For information regarding the graves the reader is referred to Mr. Moore's paper on Certain 

 Sand Mounds of the St. John's River, Florida, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., Vol. X (1), 1894. 



46 JOURX. A. X. S.. PHILA., VOL. X. 



