Hamilton. — On a Stone Belie. 115 



head-dress, such as is common in the Pacific. The line 

 bounding the face is not complete on either side, but, judg- 

 ing by the small perfect maskoid on one of the sides, it 

 came to a sharp point, but no mouth was indicated. The 

 eyes are indicated by lines forming concentric circles, two 

 lines on one side of the face and three on the other. The 

 difference is apparently accidental, and depending on the 

 area to be occupied. Below the face the lines are some- 

 what difficult to follow, but on the one side it appears to 

 be plain that the upper line on each side is intended for 

 the arms, as there is a distinct indication of an elbow. I 

 take the two lower lines to be legs, turned up in a way 

 not unknown in Maori carving. The edge of the curve 

 on the inner side is closely ornamented with notches, and 

 also the somewhat triangular space between the top of the 

 maskoids and the shaft. The arms and legs have a tri- 

 angular space beneath, which I take to represent the body 

 of the figure. The arms and legs terminate at kite-shaped 

 maskoids, which have double concentric circles for eyes, no 

 mouths ; but they are angled on the central line, and this 

 angle is notched from top to bottom. The notching is con- 

 tinued to the point of the curved portion. The other side is 

 practically the same. 



In relation to these two figures the maskoids are upside- 

 down, for, although there is no mouth, the part intended for 

 the lower part of the face is easily recognised ; but when 

 we examine the ornamentation of the side we find a small 

 full-length figure so placed that the small masks on the 

 curved part become the heads of these figures by super- 

 position As will be seen from the plate, one figure repre- 

 sents a male drawn in a very peculiar and archaic style. 

 On the other side is a female figure, even more peculiar 

 in contour. The extreme end of the butt has been orna- 

 mented, but the small fragment that remains does not give 

 sufficient indications to justify a restoration. I think, how- 

 ever, that there were two small figures with their heads 

 towards the central line. 



The expanded triangular area at the base of the shaft is 

 ornamented on each- side with concentric circles in addition 

 to the notches already mentioned. The whole represents 

 great labour, and was doubtless a sacred or highly valued 

 possession. 



The small size precludes the idea that it was part of a 

 weapon, and I have looked in vain for any similar object in 

 Edge Partington's Albums and other works. The only pos- 

 sible resemblance that I can find is to the fan-handles made 

 of wood or whale -tooth ivory, one of which is figured at 

 pi. xxv. and pi. xlvii., No. 6, of Edge Partington's "Album 



