Tools. 



Snow Knives. 



Of the well-known, broad, bone knives (PI. X, 1 2, PI. XIX and 

 PI. XX, 1 2) there are in the collection nine complete specimens 

 and two fragments. 



A feature common to them all is seen in the fact that the handle 

 forms a more or less sharp angle with the blade, and is furnished 

 at the butt end with a knob on the same side as the concave or 

 cutting edge. The blade is broader than the handle, more or less 

 strongly curved, and rounded at the fore end. 



But as regards the transition from handle to blade the knives 

 are divided into two distinct groups or types. In the one, which is 

 the more common, the blade expands abruptly on both sides of the 

 handle; but the two "shoulders" do not stand opposite to each other, 

 that on the cutting edge side being always somewhat anterior to 

 that on the same side as the back, probably in order to allow more 

 room for the fingers. 1 The "shoulder" on the back side moreover, 

 prevents slipping, and so provides a good firm grip on the handle. 



In the other group, the blade expands abruptly on the edge side 

 only, while at the back the handle and blade merge evenly one into 

 the other in a more or less curved line. 



It should be added that, though a differentiation between "edge" 

 and "back" is made here, there is no corresponding difference in 

 thickness; the thickest part occurs in the middle line of the blade; 

 the edges are rather thin, though not sharp; the one face is rounded, 

 having more or less retained the original outer form of the bone, the 

 other is flat. 



1 In two West-Greenland specimens in the National Museum in Copenhagen, from 

 Umanaq (King Frederik VII's collection) and from Sermermiut at Jacobshavn 

 (L. 1744) there are finger notches on this side of the handle. 



XLIV. 30 



