8S4 KEPC^RT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1897. 



"finger flints." His fig. .34(3 (p. 307) is from Yorkshire, and is liere 

 reproduced a^s figs. 75, 7(). His description of it is that it is solid, syiu- 

 nietrically chipped, of gray flint, and is curved at one extremity, with 

 a view of adapting it for being better held in the hand. The edges, 

 originally chii)ped sharp, have been slightly rounded by grinding, 

 apparently with the same motive. The angles at the curved end have 

 been smoothed, l)ut the other end is completely rounded and i>re- 

 sents the worn, half-polished appearance characteristic of these tools. 

 They vary much in the amount of workmanship tiiey display, some 

 being mere flakes with the edges rounded by chii)ping, and others as 

 carefully wrought into form as any hatchet or chisel. They vary in 

 length from 2 to 4 inches. The rougher kinds are usually clumsy in 

 their i>roportions, as if strength was an object, and they not infre- 

 quently show a certain amount of abrasion at each end. 



Many earlj^ explorers have witnessed the operation of arrowi)oiut 

 making among the North American Indians and have described 

 it in greater or less detail. These reports have been collected for 

 the convenience of the student and teacher and are published as 

 Appendix D (p. 985). 



VII. SCRAPEPiS, GRINDERS, AND STRAIGHTENERS USED IN 

 MAKING ARROW AND SPEAR SHAFTS. 



These implements play a part in the science of prehistoric arclne- 

 ology of an importance quite out of i)roportioii with their appear- 

 ance. 



Spear and lance shafts, to be effective as weapons, must be straight 

 and smooth. If rough or crooked, their effectiveness is much reduced. 

 True, the most i)rimitive spear made of a sapling, the point hard- 

 ened by fire and left rough with knots and branches, might be a 

 dangerous weapon in a hand to hand contest ;, but it would be more 

 easily handled and more effective if made straight and smooth. For 

 a javelin or arrow intended to be cast or thrown, either ])y the hand 

 or with a bow, it is imperative that the shaft should be straight and 

 smooth. 



Many of the arrow shafts of antiquity were of reed or cane, perhaps 

 because reed and cane were more ijlenteous and more easily adapted. 

 They were the right size, could be made the right length, were light, 

 straight, smooth, and required but slight preparation for use. Still, 

 these Avould ret^uire some straightening and smoothing, and to that 

 end tools were required. 



In Europe the arrow-shaft scraper was used more than the arrow- 

 shaft polisher or grinder; in America it seems to have been the 

 reverse. In Europe, while polishers were used for many purposes, 

 they seem not to have been much used on arrow shafts. 



The arrow-shaft scraper (Plate 20) is a tool for that special purpose. 

 It is of flint chipped to a concave edge. The sijecimen from England 



