Antiquities from the Stewartry. 33 



points of interest. It is a mere fragment 3 in. long' of an Axe 

 which, when complete, must have measured about 8 in. by 2f in. 

 The extremely brilliant polish of both its surfaces and its beauti- 

 fully regular edges fit it to compare with any of the finest 

 specimens ; and, as it was found near Castle-Douglas, and pre- 

 sented by Thomas Forrest in 1782, it is one of our oldest posses- 

 sions. The original entry of the donation of this fragment is : 

 " By IVIr Thomas Forrest, Bailie of Douglas, a flat piece of pol- 

 ished green marble with sharp sides 3^ in. long, broken at the 

 base where it has been broke off, the sides tapering to a point ; 

 found in an outfield, in tilling, within a mile and a half of the 

 antient Castle of Douglas." Number 140 is a Felstone Axe, 5 in. 

 by 2f in., found at the bottom of a Circular Moat — probably the 

 small one which gives its name to Moat Croft — in Twynholm, and 

 presented by Rev. J. Milligan, 1868. The total number of Stone 

 Axes in the Museum, it may be well to remember, is over 450. 



In the next group, that of Perforated Stone Axe-Haftimers, 

 which exhibit considerable variety of form, we have to deal with 

 five specimens. The distingishing feature of this group is that, 

 at the thicker end, there is a circular hole for a wooden handle 

 made by drilling from both sides. Some of the specimens show 

 the process in a half-finished state. AH 9 is a good Wedge- 

 shaped Hammer of Sandstone, ^\ in. by 4|^ in. by 2| in., from 

 Deebank, near Kirkcudbrig'ht, presented by William Turnbull in 

 1833. Number 10 is almost identical with this; from Carling- 

 wark Loch, presented by Alex. Gordon in 1781. Number 19 is a 

 much-broken Axe of Sandstone from Balmaclellan, one of the 

 many donations of the late Rev. Geo. Murray. Originally it must 

 have measured 8 J in. by 4^ in., and is very thick, rounded, and 

 heavy. Number 27 is a Wedge-shaped Hammer of Greenish 

 Sandstone, 7| in. by 4 in. by 2 in., from Kelton ; Rev. J. Milli- 

 gan, 1868. Number 64, a Hammer Head of Greenstone, 8 in. by 

 4J in., the butt imperfect ; from Monybuie, and presented by Dr 

 W. G. Dickson in 1886. 



Whetstones and Polishers. — Over a hundred of these may be 

 seen in the Museum, only one of which is from the Stewartry : 

 AL 26. It is a very small oblong piece of dark reddish Quartzite, 

 measuring only 2 j^ in. by J in. by ^ in. It came from Cairns- 

 more, Kells, These very small whetstones form a class bv them- 



