250 THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.—PATTERSON. 
intended for beads or ornaments (No. 231). Thus that period 
was in a measure a copper age. 
IIL—BONE AND HORN. 
'To these we must add ivory. The walrus frequented the 
Northern coast of Nova Scotia till a recent period, and its tusks 
afforded excellent ivory, which the people of the stone age formed 
into various implements. Hew implements of this kind have been 
collected in Nova Scotia, partly from their perishable nature, and 
partly from their not having engaged the attention of collectors. 
But this collection contains several that are quite interesting. 
1. Bone piercers (Nos. 199-201, 274), from Merigomish. 
Unfortunately all these have the butt ends broken off, so that 
we cannot. say whether they had holes in them like an eye for 
fastening the string. 
2. Bone fish spear heads. I have already referred to those 
from the Big Island cemetery (No. 211-214), but these are 
portions of several others from Merigomish (No. 204-207). 
3. Iwo ivory harpoon points from Merigoniish (No. 197, 198), 
similar to those used by the Eskimo at the present day for taking 
seals, walruses and even whales. One end has a slit transversely 
to receive the stone point (for which the Eskimo have now substi- 
tuted iron). At the other end is a hollow for the reception of 
the ends of the shaft, and a projecting point on each side to 
serve as a barb. In the centre is a hole. By a cord from 
this it is attached to the shaft in such a manner, that it can be 
disengaged the moment it strikes the animal. When it started 
off, the pressure upon the centre of the impiement caused it to 
turn at right angles to the direction of its entrance, like a toggle, 
and Capt. Parry tells us that no barb could hold as firmly. The 
Eskimo attach an inflated seal skin to the other end of the line, 
which serves to bring the animal quickly to the surface of the 
water, and doubtless our stone age men used a similar device. 
Indeed these implements show either that the Eskimo then in- 
habited the Northern shore of Nova Scotia, or that the Miemacs 
had the same mode of hunting the larger sea animals. 
i re 
