METALLIC IMPLEMENTS OF NEW YOKK INDIANS 35 



Fig. 37 is a very thin copper knife or spear of tliis type, found 

 near Cold S]»rin<;- on the Hudson and b(*lon<;ing to Mr James 

 Nelson of that place. It is 2^ inches long and f inch wid<* with 

 a perforation near the base. Not being symmeuic it may have 

 been a knife. If of native copper the hole would be an anomaly, 

 but the figure suggests a recent article and Mr X(d son's note 

 called it sheet metal. 



Fig. 56 is of the same class, the flanges contracting more tlian 

 usual in the outline sent bv the ow^ner, Mr W. T. Fenton of 

 Conewango Valley N. Y. In a note on this article Mr Fenton 

 said: "I have lived in this vallev over 50 vears but have seen 

 but one copper arrow-head. Of that I send you outline of actual 

 size. It was found in the town of Poland, Chautauqua co. Mr 

 Larkin claims to have found some copper ornaments in a mound 

 he opened a great many years ago, but if I remember right he 

 sent them to the Smithsonian institution." 



In his Ancient man in America Dr Larkin often speaks of native 



copper articles, without mentioning their final resting place. In 



a letter to the writer he says he thought he sent them to the 



Smithsonian institution or the Peabody museum. Nothing could 



be learned of them there and it is to be regretted that all have 



disappeared. His published statements ma}^ be quoted without 



comment, omitting minor matters : 



In the year 1859 while exploring some tumuli in the vicinity of 

 the Red House valley w-e found numerous singular and interest- 

 ing relics, among w^hich w^ere spearheads 6 inches in length with 

 double barbs composed of masses of native copper; also several 

 blocks of mica which were in about the same condition as when 

 chiseled from the granite of the Alleghany mountains. It was 

 near this valley where w^as found one of the most interesting 

 relics ever discovered among the works of the ancient inhabit- 

 ants. It w^as a flat piece of copper, 6 inches in length by 4 in 

 width, artistically wrought, with the form of an elephant repre- 

 sented in harness engraved upon it, and a sort of breast collar, 

 with tugs on either side, which extended past the hips. The 

 great amount of copper implements and blocks of mica that 

 have been found, contradicts the theory of Mr Squire, that 

 the tumuli located in western New York are not the work 

 of the mound builders. I am satisfied, beyond a doubt, that 



