1893.] Shell Heaps of Florida. 605 
CERTAIN SHELL HEAPS OF THE ST. JOHN’S RIVER, 
' FLORIDA, HITHERTO UNEXPLORED. 
By CLARENCE BLOOMFIELD MOORE. 
(Continued from February Number, 1893.) 
(Third Paper.) 
TICK ISLAND (VOLUSIA COUNTY). 
Tick Island can be reached by entering Lake Dexter at its 
union with the St. John’s (see map with the first paper of this 
series), and continuing across it and along Spring Garden Creek, 
a distance of about four miles in all, until a landing is reached 
on the southern side of the creek. The island was entirely 
unknown in connection with scientific research until visited 
by the writer in February, March and April, 1891. Other 
visits were made in January, 1892, January and March, 1893; 
in all twenty-two days have been devoted to the shell heaps 
and burial mound on Tick Island, with a large party of assis- 
tants; but so interesting is the place, and so extended the 
remains left by a race now passed from sight that much still 
awaits a thorough investigation. 
In connection with many acres of shell deposit is an inter- 
esting burial mound of sand, described by the writer in the 
AMERICAN NATURALIST, issues of February and July, 1892. 
Thirty feet south of the great burial mound is a small mound, 
six feet in height and 180 feet in circumference, composed of 
fragments of shell mingled with sand, so closely packed 
that a pick is necessary for the work of excavation. The 
mound is covered with palmettoes whose roots, closely inter- 
twined, lend an additional difficulty to the work of the 
explorer. As to the nature of this mound the writer is unde- 
cided. 
Somewhat over 100 yards distant from the great burial 
mound in a northeasterly direction is a crescentie, or rather a 
