VOL. IX.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 201 



Every joint else of a piece, save the top joint, is an intaglio, and deeply engra- 

 ven on both sides alike, and will accordingly serve for a seal. The middle of 

 each angle is hollow, and the edges of the angles are thick furrowed : the ter- 

 mination of these etchings are the indented sutures, by which the joints are set 

 together; the ridges of one joint being alternately let into the furrows of the other 

 next it. The etchings of the flat-sided pieces are in circular lines; but of the 

 other two species they are straight lines or nearly so. In the very centre of the 

 five angles is a small hole, conspicuous in most joints ; and in the middle of each - 

 joint, between angle and angle, in the very suture, is another such like small 

 pin hole very apparent, if the stones be first well scoured. In the deep-jointed 

 pieces, just under the top-joint, above described, may be observed the traces of 

 certain wires, rather than branches; and sometimes two, three, or more of the 

 joints of the wires yet adhering. These wires are always five in number, viz. 

 one in the middle or hollow part between angle and angle. 



It is no wonder that these wires are knocked off, and but very rarely found 

 adhering to the stones they belong to, being very small and slender, of a round 

 figure, and smooth-jointed, set together per harmoniam, and not indented 

 suture. Nothing is so like these wires as the antennae of lobsters. Lastly, 

 some of these wires are knotted, and others of them fairly subdivided or 

 branched. 



Many of these star-stones are represented in pi. 8, in the figures from 1 to J 7 ; 

 the explanations of which are as below: — 



] . The top-joint of an astroites, figured on both sides ; on the one it is deeply 

 engraven, on the other the etches are scarcely visible. Also the ends of the five 

 angles are very blunt. 2. A second or sharp-angled joint, with fair etchings on 

 both sides. 3. Apiece with very narrow and sharp angles. Also the top-joint 

 designed, as it naturally nppears smooth, and without etchings. 4. A round- 

 angled joint. 5. A flat-sided piece ; where the etchings are somewhat circular. 

 6. A thin jointed piece : where note also, that the angles are inuch narrower, 

 and of a protracted oval figure. 1 . The largest piece I have yet seen, a little 

 bending. 8. The smallest piece I have yet met with. g. The longest piece ; 

 where every 4th joint is somewhat larger or more prominent than the rest; as 

 in the 7th fig. also is well designed. 10. A large and round-angled or flat-sided 

 piece; to which belongs that single joint noted fig. 4. 1 1 . A flat or not hollow- 

 sided piece; of which sort also is the 5th figure; the 10th and 4th not much 

 differing. J 2. A thin-jointed piece; where the conjunctions are marked out by 

 the traces of the several sets of wires or branches. 13. A piece where the 

 joints are unequal in thickness. 14. A piece with some part of the wires yet 

 adhering in their natural order at the largest end of the piece. 15. A thin- 

 voh. II. D j> 



