334 ETII NEOLOGY. 



with elaborate coverings on great oecasious. They do not seem suffi- 

 ciently abundant to be simply the ornaments of chiefs or warriors. 



Figures 173 and 173a represent a second example of tbis form of 

 perforated ornament, or banner-stone. It is shorter and broader than 

 the preceding, but is well made, and drilled with that smoothness and 

 beauty which are marked features of figure 172. The outline drawing 

 of a sectional view of the specimen shows that the perforation is some- 

 what oval, instead of perfectly circular, and the diameter of the drilling 

 is a little less at the apex than at the base. The drilling of this hole 

 must, therefore, have been done with something difi'erent from a section 

 or a number of sections of reed of identical diameter. This specimen 

 has probably been drilled by the api^lication cf sand and water, in con- 

 nection with a solid drill, as a pointed wooden stick, but the perforation 

 begun below has been continued from thence, but only half the distance 

 on each side as is usual in such cases.* 



Figure 171 represents a very interesting form of banner-stone, of a 

 totally different shape from either of the preceding examples. This 

 specimen is an oval or ovoid polished pebble of a soft mineral, approach- 

 ing, but not identical with soapstone. The two halves, if we divide it 

 through the center of the perforation which extends from the top to the 

 bottom, will be found identical in every particular of shape and dimen- 

 sion. The base of the specimen is somewhat more flattened than the 

 top, and appears to have been in contact with another stone, as it is 

 worn off smoothly, but with a variable width. This worn surface is of 

 a lighter tint than the other portions of the specimen. The perforation 

 is a little less in diameter than that of figure 172, but it is of equal beauty 

 of workmanship. The diameter is the same throughout, the perfora- 

 tion being accurately circular, and showing the rings which indicate 

 drilling with a hollow tube. For a short distance from the base, extend- 

 ing upward along the sides of the perforation, the "rings'* are not dis- 

 tinguishable, except by the closest scrutiny, and appear to have been worn 

 away by the rubbing of whatever passed through the hole as a handle or 

 suspensory cord. From point to point, this specimen measures two and 

 five-eighths inches, and across the middle one inch and a half. The 

 diameter of the perforation is just one-half an inch, or one-third of the 

 total width of the specimen itself. 



Figure 171 is quite similar in general appearance to a specimen of this 

 character found in Mississippi, and figured by Squier and Davis, 

 which specimen, however, "measures six inches in length. The hole is 

 half an inch in diameter at one end, hut less at the other j''^ which latter 

 feature is met with in figure 173, but not in either figure 172 or 174. 



Figures 172 and 174 were both found in Burlington County, New 

 Jersey, but not together, and were kindly presented to the author by 

 Joseph Newbold, esq., to whom we are indebted for several favors of a 

 similar character. 



Vide Rail, 1. c. , p. 92. 



