408 THOMAS THOMSEN. 
For convenience of comparison, Mason’s two illustrations are here 
shown in Fig. 3—4. 
The Editor is right in saying, that Mason, after giving a perfectly 
correct description of the loose shaft, and describing — likewise correctly 
— the foreshaft in this specimen as having a projection, 
incorrectly adds: “for the socket on the base of the loose 
shaft”. Even the uninitiated reader will at once see from 
the illustration that the description is incorrect only in 
this one point (Fig. 3). 
Had Mr. THALBITZER stopped at this, all would have 
been well. Not content however, with challenging the 
description of the East Greenland harpoon, he goes so 
far as to include the South Greenland also (Fig. 4). In 
|) this case, however, Mason’s description will be found to 
Fig. 3. be in entire agreement with his illustration, 
(After О. T. which suggests the possibility of Mr. THat- 
Mason:  BITZER's having misunderstood the passage, 
EU the more so, since we are told that FRIDTJOF 
American i > 5 с 
Harpoons NANSEN gives a drawing “which, though in- 
pl. 4). distinctly, shows the same error in confusing 
the loose shaft and the foreshaft”’. 
Might it not now be worth while to look closer in- 
to the matter, and see if possibly Mr. THALBITZER him- 
self may be in error? It will soon be realised that the 
main point lies in the sentence about the two Greenland 
harpoons which are said to “differ from the Greenland 
type known elsewhere”. “The Greenland type as known 
to the Editor” would have been more correct. As a 
matter of fact, Fig.3 is from East Greenland, whereas 
Fig. 4 is from the southern part of West Greenland, 
NANSEN’s specimen being presumably from the Godt- 
haab district. 
Mr. THALBITZER declares that all the Greenland Fig. 4. 
harpoons he has seen have always had “the tenon (or (After О. Т. 
projection) .... on the base of the loose shaft and the Mason: Ab- 
socket on the flat top of the foreshaft”. orga aa 
A SE : 5 can Harpoons 
Strange, that with all his journeyings in search of fig. 49). 
information, — to Berlin (1904, 1907 and 1912) to 
Vienna (1908) to Christiania (1908) to Stockholm (1908 and 1910), 
London (1909) and Dublin (1909)! he should never have come 
across harpoons of the other type. I do not know what the 
Museums of these cities may have to show in this respect; I can, 
however, refer Mr. THALBITZER to the series of 10 harpoons and 6 
1 THALB. II, p. 328. 
