200 THE STONE AGE — PAST AND PRESENT. 



distinguislied from tlie mere celt by its more complex shape, 

 and by its being bored or otherwise fitted for a handle, is best 

 represented in the highest European Stone Age, and in the 

 transition to the Bronze Age. 



Special instruments and varieties are of great interest to the 

 Ethnographer, as giving individuality to the productions of the 

 Stone Age of different times and places. Thus, the rude trian- 

 gular flakes of obsidian with which the Papuans head their 

 spears are very characteristic of their race. These spears were 

 probably what they were using iu Schouten's time ; " long 

 staves with very long sharpe things at the ends thereof, which 

 (as we thought) were finnes of black fishes."^ Among celts, 

 the Polynesian adze blade, to be seen in almost any museum, 

 is a well-marked type ; as is the American double hatchet,^ and 

 an elaborately-formed American knife.^ The Pech's knives or 

 Pict's knives, of Shetland, made from a rock with a slaty 

 cleavage, seem peculiar. They appear to be efiicient instru- 

 ments, as an old woman was seen cutting cabbage with one not 

 long since. 



As there are a good many special instruments like these in 

 difierent parts of the world, the idea naturally suggests itself of 

 trying to use them as ethnological evidence, to prove connexion 

 or intercourse between two districts where a similar thing is 

 found. For instance, among the most curious phenomena in 

 the history of stone implements is the occurrence of one of the 

 highest types of the Stone Age, the polished celt of green jade, 

 of all places in the world, in Australia, where the general cha- 

 racter of the native stone implements is so extremely low. 

 There is a quarry of this very hard and beautiful stone in Vic- 

 toria, and the natives on the river Glenelg grind it into double- 

 convex hatchet blades, a process which must require great la- 

 bour, and these blades they fix with native thread into cleft 

 sticks, and use them as battle-axes. Two of the blades in 

 question are in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries 

 in Edinburgh, presented by Dr. Mackay, who got them near 



' Pui'clias, vol. i. p. 95. - Schoolcraft, part ii. pi. 48, figs. 1 and 2. 



' Id., part ii. pi. 45, figs. 1-3. Another specimen in theEdinbui'gh Antiquaries' 

 Museum, presented by Dr. Daniel Wilson. 



