26 



modern mind it is almost incomprehensible that these 

 crude implements could have served to any useful pur- 

 pose, and yet they must have, otherwise it is not probable 

 that their manufacturer would have spent so much labour 

 in shaping them. 



Luckily, we have at least so much information about 

 the habits and customs of the Aborigines that we can 

 arrive at a very correct idea as to the various purposes 

 these Axnorpholithes were used for. 



One of the most important observations has again 

 been handed over to us by Scott. He states : "The hints 

 were used principally for cutting and sharpening spears, 

 waddies, and for making notches or rough edges on the 

 end of the waddies. • . They were also used for cutting 

 notches in the bark of the trees." Scott tells us that the 

 principal object for which these crude implements were 

 used was the cutting and sharpening of their wooden 

 spears, they were, therefore, essentially cutting or chop- 

 ping tools. 



On the other hand, it is certain that Scott's states 

 ment of the purposes for which the flints were used is not 

 quite exhaustive. We know that sharp specimens were 

 used for nicking off the hair of the women, and for the 

 production of scars on the flesh of the men. It is also on 

 record that "sharp flints"' were used to open up the roasted, 

 animals they used for food, and it is also fairly certain 

 that shai-ply-pointed specimens were used to drill holes 

 into the shells and bones they used to weai* as ornaments. 

 The question therefore remains, are the purposes enumerat- 

 ed exhaustive or not? Some of the implements that have 

 come under my notice are most suggestive of a spear or 

 arrow head, and had they been found in Europe they 

 would without the slightest hesitation been pronounced as 

 such. The following three figures, of fictions spear and 

 arrow heads, will amply illustrate this view. 



FIG. 31. 

 FICTIOUS SPEAR HEAD. REALLY A KNIFE OF 

 GROUP Fc. Old Beach. 



FIG. 32. 

 FICTIOUS ARROW HEAD. (NOTE THE BEAUTI- 

 FULLY-MADE TANG FOR INSERTION INTO 

 THE SHAFT). REALLY KNIFE OF GROUi:* 



Fc. Maryvale. 



