748 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



faces, and fine edge. The elongated hexagon in section is not uncom- 

 mon in the West Indies, and occurs very frequently in Costa Rica. The 

 bent butt of the blade is a very common feature in shell blades. Per- 

 haps the only truth about the shape is that the savage found it so and 

 let it stay. 

 Length, 4^ inches; greatest width, l^V inches. 



III. FACES CONTINU'OUS, SIDES INCURVED OR NOTCHED. 



The next type which is to be considered is that in which the faces are 

 continuous from the edge to the opposite extremity, but the sides, near 

 the butt, have been modified in various ways, apparently to aid in haft- 

 ing. The butt, or head, also passes through a variety of modifications, 

 almost as numerous as the jDroximal end of leaves. Such implements or 

 forms have a certain number of possibilities. They may have been fell- 

 ing axes, hoes, adzes, battle-axes, ceremonial axes, or simply works of 

 art. That is to say, similar objects have been found performing these 

 functions in different parts of the world. Ee verting to our typical areas 

 we are at a loss to proceed. The Haida do not use implements of these 

 shapes ; the Mound Builders did, however, and many of this class can be 

 duplicated in our collections. 



Fig. 16. 



Fig. 16. A long, slender blade, of blackish-brown color. The butt is 

 irregularly curved, and rimmed or hollowed at the notches. The haft- 

 ing space is hardly to be called a notch, passing imperceptibly into the 

 sides below. The latter are not alike and the edge has been recently 

 broken. A natural seam mars the surface from top to bottom. 



Length, 11^ inches ; greatest width, 4^ inches. 



Fig. 17. A rude blade, of very dark-colored material that has weath- 

 ered to a creamy yellow on the exposed surfaces. The butt is rough 

 and truncated. The hafting spaces have different curves and widens 

 sharply to the sides of the specimen ; the latter pass insensibly into the 

 edge. In Mr. E. F. im Thurn's Timehri Plate viii. Fig. 6, is a similar 

 Ungulate form, where the sides continue to the truncated butt, and the 



