ADDITIONS TO ETHNOLOGICAL COLLECTIONS — ETHERIDGE. 201 



In the Dominion Maseum at. Wellington is the cast of a 

 fine adze-liead, of which Mr. Elsdon Best says^^ : — " The back 

 of the tool is concave longitudinally to an extent but seldom 

 seen, and convex transversely." The present implement is 

 very similar in this respect, although flat transversely instead 

 of convex. 



A similar U-backed and flat-faced tool, with a Ions' blade, 

 is figured by Dr. W. T. Brigham as Hawaiian.34 



The all-important point of interest attached to this adze- 

 head is the terminal nipples or horns of tlie tang. Mr. 

 Elsdon Best figured an implement which he described as " one 

 of the most peculiar forms in the Museum " [DominionJ-^'S in 

 that the small poll has a curious lateral projection, " which 

 may have served to hold this singular tool in the lashing." 

 This statement is, however, to some extent discounted bv 

 one that immediately follows — " this tool may be a poluld, or 

 pounder, that was used in the hand, not hafted." The lateral 

 projection can be distinquished in the figure quoted, and 1 

 refer to it as the only instance but one other I have been able 

 to find in literature. 



The other instance is that of a small Chatham Island adze- 

 head described by Mr. Best as foUows^^: — " The chief peculi- 

 arity of this tool is at the poll, whereat two horns or pro- 

 jections have been left, one at each face corner, in ordei' to 

 contain the lashing." This is quite in accord with my view 

 of the use of these similar projections on the Nassau Island 

 implement. 



The sharpening stone previously referred to is simply a 

 I'ouglily quadrangular piece of grey volcanic tuff. 



3-' Best — Bull. Dominion Mua., No. 4, Stone Implements of the Maoris, 

 19 J 2, p. 275, pis. xiv. and xv. . 



^■i Brigham — Mem. Berniee Pauahi Bishop Mus., I., No. 4, Ancient 

 Hawaiian Stone Implements, 1902, pi. Iv., fig. 3121. 



35 Loc. cit., p. 276, pi. xvi., fig. 95. 



36 Best— Loc. cit., p. 268, pi. xxi.. fig. 8ob. 



