1895.] ; Anthropology. 1039 
soft sand. We found therein no relics except these bones, which were 
in good preservation. The base of the cement dome rests on a ring of 
shells—chiefly oyster shells—evidently placed there to receive it, about 
60 feet in circumference, 6 inches deep, and 18 inches across. The 
ring was laid upon sand. Rather above the level of this ring and in 
the centre, had been placed the body, and apparently over this had 
been made a rounded hill of fine sand, and again over this had been 
plastered the layer of light slate-gray mud, which, whatever had been 
the intention of the depositors, now remains as a waterproof, solid, self- 
supporting dome, about 15 to 18 inches thick, and 20 feet or so across, 
and perhaps 5 or 6 feet high. It defied a spade or ordinary hoe, re- 
quiring a grubbing-hoe and, in places, a crow-bar to pierce it. 
On my return the second day in company with Mr. Wilkins, who 
remained a short time—Mr. Durrett, who had camped near the spot, 
having left earlier in the morning after completing the cutting across 
through the north side—I laid bare the whole inner base of one side of 
the dome; the sole result was the verification of the fact that the dome 
was evenly formed interiorly, and rested on the evenly formed shell- 
ring. 
I am personally of opinion that the hardening quality of this slate 
mud was understood and deliberately utilized by these people. Floors 
of prehistoric huts and other buildings are said to exist in the neigh- 
borhood, formed of the same material, and a piece of the cement car- 
ried away by myself has hardened perceptibly since its exposure to the 
air. Itis difficult to conceive of an observant people, who were also capa- 
ble of making very fair pottery, not knowing or noticing this property 
of a material used by themselves in such a position. It has, however, 
been suggested, and, though not agreeing with the suggestion, I give it 
as a possibility, that the cement-forming capabilities of this gray mud 
were not understood by the builders, and that it was not intentionally 
employed to this end, but was simply mud from the nearest lagoon, 
placed over the sand-heap to prevent the sand from blowing away, and 
laying bare the remains. This hypothesis is based upon the uneven 
quality of the cement cover—that next the northern lagoon being 
softer and coarser than that next the south. Further enlightenment 
will probably be thrown upon this question also by the expedition which 
Dr. William Pepper is sending to Florida in the coming autumn. 
—C. D. Durnrorp. 
