26 THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 



These implements, of which I have three, I believe to have come 

 originally from New Guinea and so far, I think, are the only 

 specimens on record. 



The other, and somewhat similar weapon, is said to have come 

 from the Solomon Islands ; it differs from the others by not 

 having any sharp edge on it. In fact, it may be described as 

 a long wooden handle with a heavy stone ring attached to the end. 



The following list of specimens were exhibited : — 



Two specimens with original handles attached, fixed on with the 

 gum of the grass tree. One from the Clarence Iliver district, 

 about 6|x3| inches long, oval, sharpened at one end only, the 

 edge being quite straight, central from above doionwards for 

 about one half of the stone. The other from the Bowen River, 

 a tributary of the Bowen, Queensland, 5 x 2| inches, of exactly 

 the same shape and form. Two very large elongately square 

 shaped specimens measuring 8 inches long, by 5 1 - inches broad, 

 flattened, of a very coarse stone, the cutting edge very slightly 

 curved, only occupying one end of the stone, from Stony Creek, 

 near Picton, New South Wales. Two long narrow very slightly 

 flattened specimens, about an equal thickness throughout, the cut- 

 ting edge, central, confined only to one end of the stone, the 

 opposite end, the head of the hatchet, gradually tapering off. 

 Presented to me by D. Ash worth, of Manaro The other was 

 ploughed up at West Dapto, Wollongong. About thirty other 

 specimens varying in length from 6 to 2J inches, and in breadth 

 from 4h to 2 inches; many others are proportionately much broader 

 than long ; most of them are smooth as if made from water worn 

 pebbles, others are evidently roughly chipped to bring them to a 

 proper form for use. 



One from Western Australia, about 6x3 inches, consists of 

 an irregular oval mass of grass tree gum, to which a wooden 

 handle is firmly fixed in the centre below, the cutting edges are 

 formed by sharp edged chips of granite firmly imbedded in the 

 gum. Two knives from the same district made by fastening thin 

 sharp chips of quartz in a line along the lower edge of a wooden 



