24 The American Naturalist. (January, 
writer succeeded in discovering any. A molar, identified by 
Professor Cope as belonging to a bison, was presented to the 
writer by Mr. C. H. Curtis of Bluffton, Volusia Co., who stated 
that it had been superficially found on the shell deposit at 
that place. It is possible that future investigation will show 
the bones of the bison to be present in the shell-heaps of the 
St. John’s. Their presence in those of Georgia has been 
noted.* 
While the remains of various fish are found in the shell 
deposits they are by no means so numerous as might be sup- 
posed considering their great abundance in the river. The 
absence at any considerable depth of “sinkers” of stone, 
believed to have been used for cast-nets, as has been stated, 
seems to indicate their use as confined to the close of the shell- 
heap period. Nothing in any way suggesting a fish hook 
has ever been found in the river heaps. It is probable that 
the main supply of fish was obtained through the medium of 
the spear, a method known to have been practiced by later 
Indians.’ 
AGE OF THE SHELL HEAPS. 
There seems to be no reason to doubt that a wide divergence 
in time characterizes the construction of the shell-heaps of 
the river, and that many were completed before others were 
begun. Mt. Taylor, Volusia Co., hasa maximum height of 
over 27 feet. Many and considerable excavations made in 
every part with an adequate force of men have failed to 
reveal a fragment of pottery beneath the surface loam. The 
removal of the entire heap (a work of months) could alone 
afford absolute proof, but the result of repeated excavations is 
a strong indication of absence of pottery in the mound. 
Mulberry Mound near Lake Poinsett, an island shell-heap 
rising 16 feet above the water level, is composed of crushed 
shell and sandy loam, showing slow growth beneath the tread 
of its inhabitants. Ornamented sherds were met with to the 
very bottom. Colored pottery was found, and an article of 
personal adornment, while on a preceeding page has been 
‘tC. C. Jones “ Antiquities of the Southern Indian,” 7 
i page 200. 
5The writer has found iron fish spears near the surface of the sand mounds. 
