42 RELICS OF THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA PIERS. 



to an edge. These two implements may belong to an older 

 period than those of finer workmanship.* Attention has recently 

 been drawn to supposed evidences of a palaeolithic age in 

 America, and Prof. Thomas Wilson of the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion has dealt with the subject in a paper entitled " Results of an 

 Enquiry as to the existence of Man in North America during the 

 Paleolithic Period of the Stone Age " (Report U. S. National 

 Museum, 1887-88) which has been referred to on a previous page. 

 Collectors in Nova Scotia should search closely for the ruder 

 forms of implements, which from their apparently unwrought 

 appearance may have hitherto escaped notice. 



The collection contains an interesting implement which 

 possibly is an adze (Fig. 55). It measures 10'50 inches in length, 

 2'50 inches in breadth near the cutting edge, and 2'15 at the 

 butt, and its greatest thickness is about 1*70. It is elliptical in 

 section ; and does not appear to be noticeably more flat on one 

 side than on the other. The cutting edge is battered and very 

 dull, and the butt is somewhat shattered from a blow. What 

 makes it particularly remarkable, is a slight groove which encircles 

 it entirely, a little more than six inches from the cutting edge. 

 Just above the groove are two prominences or shoulders, one on 

 each lateral edge of the tool, and from thence to the butt the edge 

 is slightly hollowed ; all of which would assist in the attachment 

 of a handle. I do not remember ever to have seen a similar 

 example from Nova Scotia. It forms a link between the celt or 

 adze and the ordinary grooved axe. 



Besides the celts or adzes in the collection just referred to, 

 some other undescribed examples which have come to my notice 

 may be here described. 



The McCulloch collection contains eight specimens(Figs.84,85, 

 87-92), all presumably from this province. Two (Figs. 89 and 90) 

 are fragmentary, the rest entire. About five of them (respec- 

 tively 10'50 ; 9 50, 7, 6, and 475 inches in length) may be likened 

 to the first or broader type (Figs. 84-85, 87-88, 92). One of these 

 (475 X 2'25 inches), showing the transition to the grooved axe, 



* A few rude celts in the Provincial Museum resemble the two described above. 



