24 Mr. Ferguson on the Antiquity of the Kiliee or Boomerang. 



hack again to him who dismissed it. The passage occurs in the " Origines," 

 under the head Clava, viz. : 



" Clava est qualis fuit Herculis, dicta quod sit clavis ferreis invicem reli- 

 gata, et est cubito semis facta in longitudine. Haec et Cateia, quam Horatius 

 Caiam dicit. Est genus Gallici teli ex materia quam maxime lenta; quae, 

 jactu quidem, non longe, propter gravitatem, evolat, sed ubi pervenit vi nimia 

 perfringit. Quod si ab artifice mittatur, rursum redit ad eum qui misit. Hujus 

 meminit Virgilius dicens 



' Teutonico ritu soliti torquere Cateias.' 



Unde et eas Hispani Teutones vocant." — Isidor. Origin. 1. xviii. c. vii. 



Thus, all the characteristics of the Boomerang, its use, its shape, its mode of 

 projection, its extraordinary impetus, and its peculiar reciprocating flight, belong 

 to the Cateia, from which it cannot but be concluded that these were the same 

 weapon. 



II.— OF THE ACLYS. 



Another name by which a weapon of the same character would appear to 

 have been known to Roman writers is Aclis — aclidis, and Aclys — aclydis. It 

 is first mentioned by Virgil, speaking of the aborigines of Campania. 



" Oscoruinque manus : teretes sunt aclides illis 



Tela ; sed haec lento mos est aptare flagello." 



ViTg. JEneid. 1. vii. v. 730. 



From which it appears that the Aclys was originally a hand weapon, as its 

 discharge by means of a thong is mentioned as something unusual. 



Silius also mentions the Aclys, after enumerating those tribes of Campania 

 who allied themselves with Home before the battle of Canns. 



" Formabat Scipio hello. 



lUe viris pila, et ferro circumdare pectus 

 Addiderat : leviora domo de more parentum 

 Gestahant tela ; amhustas sine cuspide cornos ; 

 Aclydis usus erat, factseque ad rura bippennis." 



Sil. Ital. Punic. 1. viii. v. 553. 



