ABORIGINAL REMAINS.—PIERS. 283 
Thence it tapers regularly and gradually to within a short dis- 
tance of the tail, where the diameter is .80 of an inch. 
The other specimen* (Figs. 5 & 6) was presented by Miss Frame, 
of Shubenacadie, Hants County. In form it is somewhat elong- 
ated, thus differing from the one found at Minudie, which latter 
is circular. This elongation is caused by the “bead,” which, 
instead of lying upon the “tail” is placed outside that portion 
of the object. The circumference measures 10 inches. The 
greatest diameter is 3.60. 
The greatest diameter at the head is about 1.10 inch. From 
this it gradually decreases until a couple of inches from the head 
when it again increases in size and _ then decreases to the end of 
the tail, near which the diameter is .65 of an inch. The original 
surface of this specimen has unfortunately been defaced by the 
use of acid in determining its composition. 
Such is a description of these two curious relics of the sld 
stone age of Nova. As to their use, little can be said. Any 
designation which we can give them only serves to cover our 
own ignorance of the subject. They can neither be weights 
for digging sticks, club-heads, hammer-stones, tchunkee-stones, 
net-sinkers, nor spindle-whorls. They were exhibited and dis- 
cussed at the Archeological Convention held during the Centen- 
nial Exhibition, 1876. They seemed to puzzle all. In both 
specimens it is evident that a rude representation of a serpent 
was attempted. These stones, says Dr. Gilpin, are so peculiar, 
and bear so strongly on the universal snake worship papers lately 
put forward, as, in the absence of all tradition or history of such 
worship in this Province, to demand a paper to themselves. 
Pierced Tablets——There are before me two specimens of these 
implements. Regarding their use nothing seemed to be definitely 
known. The first specimen (Fig. 1) is made of slate, very regularly 
formed, and carefully finished. Its shape is that of a rectangle 
with moderately concave sides. The thickest part—which 
measures .42 of an inch—is midway between the perforations. 
From this place it slopes to the edges on either side and also to 
the extremities. Beneath it is flat. The perforations are two, 
biconical, and 2.18 inches apart (measuring from the centre of 
* It was presented to the Museum some years previous to the one from Minudie. 
