302 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



TLo ludiaus of Lake Coimty, Cal., now inaimfacture balls of clay, sun- 

 dried, which as sliug-stoues furnish very effective missiles for killing 

 ducks and other small game. 



Stones intended for use as sling-stones would probably have been 

 made of more uniform size and shape, Avhereas the so-called plummets 

 are remarkably variable in these particulars, for in this state the artists 

 seem to have taxed their ingenuity in making each and every one dif- 

 ferent in form from all the others, as scarcely any two are exactly alike, 

 as may be seen in Fig. lo, which shows the spheroid shape of one ex- 

 treme and Fig. the spindle shape of the other extreme, between which 

 all imaginable forms aud variations occur. 



Figs. 1 or 6 would not be convenient or, in any case, practical imple- 

 ments for such purposes. 



(2) As sinkers for fishing tackle. — The arguments used against the 

 probable use of these implements as sling-stones will apply with the 

 same force against their use as sinkers. Stones which would answer 

 the purpose equally well can be picked up when wanted for use, and it 

 is not probable that they would have burdened themselves with extra 

 weight while traveling from i)lace to place. 



(3) For playing some game. — The varied forms of these implements pre- 

 clude the probabilit}' of their having been used for such purpose, as all 

 games requires pieces of more or less similarity of form and size, while, 

 as before stated, it is rare to find two of the same size or shape, aud the 

 localities in which they are usually found are not places where games 

 would have been i)layed. 



(4) As sacred implements in the performance of some religious ceremony. — 

 This theory is the nearest approach to the true use of these implements. 



(5) As personal ornaments. — This theory is unreasonable and requires 

 no further refutation than that their weight and size would preclude 

 such uses. They were sometimes suspended about the j^erson for pur- 

 poses to be shown hereafter. 



(G) As plummets and levels. — This theory is still more far-fetched and 

 untenable than the last, so far as California Indians are concerned. 

 Tribes that build no dwellings other than temporary huts, and hastily 

 constructed at that, would certainly have no more occasion to usei)lum- 

 mets and levels than a wild Hottentot. These so-called plummets are 

 nearly always found in low, marshy jilaces near creeks, along the sea 

 shore, and among the wild, rocky recesses of the mountains. 



These localities would hardly be selected as places to erect permanent 

 buildings, even if they had ever had the knowledge of such. Again, 

 these so-called plummets would not have been used for the purpose 

 some have claimed, that is, suspended by a string and used to determine 

 perpendicular lines. They are not the form most convenient for this 

 purijose, and if suspended by a string would not hang i)erpendicularly. 



Implements like Figs. 1, 8, and 10 might have been used for such a 

 purpose, providing the lower ends had been poiqtQd, which they are 



