SINKERS. 167 



centre a perforation, flaring on both sides, and carefully finished by grinding. 

 Thickness in the middle seven-eighths of an inch. Sent by Mr. Schumacher 

 from Santa Cruz Island. This object would have done good service as a sinker, 

 and may have been employed as such. It is known that the Indians of that 

 region used seine-nets. 



Another class of sinkers consists of egg-shaped or roundish pebbles, per- 

 forated near the edge with an oblique hole, which is drilled from two sides, and 

 generally forms an obtuse angle where the perforations meet. Such specimens 

 are rare ; but they occur in sufficient number to constitute a type. Those which 

 have fallen under my notice were rather small, and evidently designed for sinking 

 fishing-lines. 



* J 



Fio. 280. Ohio. (12198). Fio. 281. Eskimos, Arctic America. (10117). 



FIGS. 280 and 281. Stone sinkers. 



Fig. 280. A specimen of this kind from Ohio. It is made of a sandstone 

 pebble. Presented by Mr. T. Rhodes. In this specimen the perforations are 

 larger than in others which I have seen. 



Fig. 281. An Eskimo sinker, made of a small, roundish quartzite pebble, 

 and showing a similar perforation. There are slight grooves extending from the 

 orifices across the corresponding sides of the stone. Obtained by Captain C. F. 

 Hall. If there were any doubts as to the application of the original of Fig. 

 280, and of similar specimens, the character of this Eskimo sinker would set 

 them at rest. 



I now pass over to the description of a numerous and well-known class of 

 North American relics to which several names have been given, and different 

 purposes assigned. In view of their varied shapes, it is rather difficult to define 

 the character of these objects, which are known as pendants, plumbs, plummets, 

 sinkers, etc. Most of them may be designated as pear-shaped, though that 

 expression must not be taken in its strictest sense. They consist of red or brown 

 hematite, specular iron, quartzite, serpentine, greenstone, and other heavy 

 materials capable of a good polish. Suspension was in many cases facilitated 

 by a groove, a knob, or a perforation at one end, generally the more tapering- 

 one ; some of them, however, exhibit forms requiring other methods of fastening. 



