' BY FRITZ XOETLllvLi, M.A., PH.D. 55 



been so or not ; I am not in a position to decide one way 

 or other. Probably Dr. Kutot is quite right, but, unfor- 

 tunately, we cannot say with certainty whether such an 

 implement was used by the Tasmanians or not- 



We have it from an eye-witness that they were "chip- 

 ping one flint with another." We know that in certain in- 

 stances the "flint" used as a hammei was a spherical dia 

 base pebble, but, unfortunately, we do not know whether 

 Scott's "flinf which was used as a hammer was such a dia- 

 base pebble, or whether it can be interpreted as a tero-watta 

 made of hornstone, serving as a "retouchoir." 



As already stated, it seems very improbable^ — at least 

 to the modern mind — that a clumsy diabase pebble was 

 used for the delicate marginal chipping and a priori it 

 would seem more probable that another implement which 

 could be handled with greater accuracy than a pebble was 

 used.' We will noAv iiivestigate whether there is evidence 

 to show that this was the case. 



There is a certain group of tero-Avatta which are dis- 

 tinguished by a curious jagged saw-like edge. As the 

 implement known as "saw" was unknown to the aborigines, 

 though they unquesitionably executed sawing movements 

 when cutting a stick or a spear, we may dismiss the view 

 that these tero-watta represent saws. What is more, they 

 do not show any traces of use, the "teeth" of the edge being 

 quite sharp and pointed. A closer examination provets 

 that the blows which detached the flakes between the teeth 

 were not placed quite close to each ether, but at certain 

 intervals. This view is fully borne out by a specimen from 

 Brighton, which distinctly shows the traces of three blows 

 placed in the way here described. Now, it is unquestion- 

 able that a number of blows, which are not close to each 

 other, can be executed by means of a. spherical hammer, as 

 1 have convinced myself by experiment. If, then, a second 

 series of blows is directed against the same edge, by which 

 the jagged points are removed — and it will be noticed that 

 again these blows are not placed close to each other — the 

 edge became perfectly sharjD, and the flakes appear tc be 

 struck oif with that regularity which appears so astonish- 

 ing to us. 



We see, therefore, that it is not necessary to use a 

 sharp-edged hammer for marginal trimming, and that this 

 can bo done equally well by meaus of a spherical hammer 

 in the way here described. The specimens showing a saw- 

 like "d^H have, theret'orr, to l)e consider.'d sis unfinished re- 



