HOLMES] CHARACTER OF THE REJECTS 55 



The excessive tliickuess so fatal to success results froin the failure of 

 flakes to carry suflicieutly far back from the margin to overlap opposing 

 flakes. Ill the process of shaping stones of varying degrees of availa- 

 bility by fracture, many eccentric forms are necessarily developed; and 

 these peculiarities of failures, being due to commou defects in the flak- 

 ing qualities of the stone, are often repeated, giving to the superflcial 

 observer the impression that the particular form was the result of 

 design. Thus, for example, there are many specimens having one flat 

 side and one convex or pyramidal side. It happened in such cases 

 that one §ide was reduced readily to the flatfish or slightly convex 

 surface desired, but that the other worked badly, giving a high peak 

 which could not be removed. This form and the double- peaked variety 

 are constantly repeated because the tendency of the flaking from a 

 bowlder is strongly toward high apexes, great skill being required to pre- 

 vent this result and to obtain just t!ie proper convexity. To attempts 

 to remove these liigh humps by vinlcnt strokes is due much of the break- 

 age in all stages of the work. Examples of this class of failures are 

 found on every shop site and need not be mistaken for finalities in 

 shape. ^ 



The incipient tools have very considerable range in size, tlie blade 

 shown in h, plate xxi, being 5i inches in length, while others reach 

 ujjward of (> inches. The smallest specimens found in the <]uarry-shops 

 arc a little under 2 inches in length. Plate xxiii is intended to indi- 

 cate the relation of theroughed-out blade to the bowlder from which it 

 was derived. Two examples are given, the i)roflle being ailded in each 

 case that the conditions may be understood fully. In the si)eciniens 

 chosen for illustration, both ends retain small areas of the original 

 surface of the bowlder. The relation of the blade to the original 

 bowlder is not at all nniforni. The fracture was sometimes such that 

 three-fourths or more of the mass was removed all from the one side 

 before the desired degree of convexity of that side was obtained, so 

 that the blade was finally derived from very near one surface of the 

 bowlder, as indicated in tlie protiles. The occurrence of such speci- 

 mens as this has led to the supposition that iu some cases a number of 

 blades were made from a single bowlder by splitting, and this is no 



^During the period interveaing between the completion of the work on Piny brancli and the date 

 of the present writing (five years). I have examined many other quarries in various parts of the 

 country and close aiiiilo^ies were observed everywhere and even identical results where conditions 

 were identical. I have also encountered iu tliis period numerous illustrations of the baneful results 

 flowing from a lack of appreciation of the nature of tlie quarry and shop work and of tlie rejectage 

 always associated with it. One very earnest and intelligent gentleman, who had dwelt for many 

 years in a flint-producing district wliere the tields were lilled with refuse of manufacture, had spent 

 a great deal of time in gathering and classifying the varied forms of rejectage. supposing all to be 

 implements. The result, was truly astonishing. He had grouped similar forma together as so many 

 varieties of tools and had worked out suppositious uses and was able to decide how some forms were 

 shaped to fit the hand and others were designed for hafting. He had made excellent drawings and 

 was ready to issue an elaljorate and costly work. In his mind every shape was significant, and all 

 fractures, such as come from necessity in all broken stones and are often remarkable, were indications 

 of design, and the more eccentric accidents of fracture were evidences of consummate skill on the 

 part of the jvorkman. 



