While it is true that some conch 
shells (more from some localities than 
from others) which have no hole or 
holes in the body-whorl for the inser- 
tion of a handle, and do not seem to 
have served as tools, have a small hole 
above the shoulder, or periphery, it is 
equally true that a large proportion of 
the shells found on the kevs do not 
have this hole, апа, as the contents of 
these shells were brought to the keys 
as an article of food, it is clear that a 
hole above the shoulder, or periphery. 
was not necessary to separate the 
shell-fish from the shell. 
Cushing, 
the muck at Marco shell implements 
pierced for handles, speaks of them as 
follows: “Thus the stick or handle 
could be driven into these perfortions, 
past the columella in such manner 
that it was sprung or clamped firmly 
into place. Nevertheless it was usually 
further secured with rawhide thongs 
—now mere jelly—passed through 
one or two additional perforations in 
the head, and around both the stick 
and the columella.” 
This hole above the shoulder is 
not always present, however, even in 
shells which are distinctly tools, with 
chisel-edge and holes, or a hole and a 
notch, for the insertion of a handle. 
This hole for the thong is absent in a 
small percentage of these tools among 
the islands generally, while at МеП- 
vaine's, a small shell key? about two 
miles to the northeast of the settle- 
ment of Marco, a score of implements, 
all that were found by us of the class 
we have mentioned, had no hole above 
the shoulder of the shell. 
We shall now describe in detail 
some of the most interesting shell im- 
plements obtained by us since the 
publieation of our last report. 
An interesting type from Marco 
is a pick wrought from Fasczolaria 
(Fig. 21), doubtless used in cultivating 
who found in place in 
Op. cit., p. 40. 
? Тһе reader will bear in mind that a very 
small proportion of the keys of the Ten 
Thousand Islands bear evidence of aboriginal 
occupancy. 
Fic. 21.—Shel 
(Le 
1 pick. Marco, Key Marco. 
ngth 11.7 inches.) 
