Frazer—On Three Bronze Celts from Co. Mayo. 419 
importance of employing such special lines of curvature to give 
strength and precision to a cutting edge; a fact of sufficient value to 
be rediscovered in modern times, and again utilized by the makers of 
the steel axe employed by American Backwoodsmen. 
The acute powers of observation displayed in the selection by this 
primitive Irish race of appropriate rock material for making these 
celts, best suited to afford the hardest, sharpest, and most durable 
edges, attracted the attention of Professor Haughton, who ascertained 
their skill and knowledge of the geology of the rocks of Ireland was 
only surpassed by the ability with which they applied that knowledge 
to practical results. We can with justice claim for them in addition 
a familiarity with the solution of problems in mechanics to no trifling 
extent, whether they raised cromlechs requiring the removal of pon- 
derous masses of stone, or ground down with infinite labour a fragment 
of basalt or hard trap-rock into these remarkable curves, and that the 
same race who erected the cromlech also ground the polished celts is 
beyond question. 
What uses can be assigned with the greatest amount of probability 
to bronze implements of the chisel shape? In attempting an answer 
we must bear in mind they are often found buried in the earth in 
groups, in which case, as a rule, they are of different sizes, larger and 
smaller. In the present instance we ascertain three were discovered 
in close proximity, and from the splendid patination of their bronze 
surface they must have lain in the ground for many hundred years. 
We would require additional observations respecting the manner in 
which stone weapons continue to be employed by the aboriginal tribes 
who still continue to use them. We do know such stone implements 
are usually fastened to wooden handles, placed transversely and bound 
with firm ligatures. In Australia the natives use in addition a strong 
adhering resin derived from a species of spinifex, which becomes in the 
course of time as hard as the stone itself, but it is far from certain 
that our early Irish race employed their bronze celts after such a 
fashion; and as to the polished stone celts, some allege that they 
served much the same purpose as sling-stones, only being hurled 
by hand against an enemy ; and this theory obtains support from cer- 
tain passages in early legendary tales where such a practice is described, 
and the stone itself is termed the ‘‘ warrior’s stone ;”’ clearly the 
bronze celt was too ponderous and inapt from its shape ever to be 
employed for a missile of this description. I fancy it was used to dig 
up roots, split rude planks of timber after the fashion of a wedge, 
which would explain the advantage and necessity of having a series 
of different sizes, a point otherwise difficult of being explained; also 
to cut down stems of trees, make dug-out canoes, possibly to hoe the 
ground, that it was utilized rather for every-day domestic purposes, 
and if ever employed in warfare, it was more through accident than 
design, and in the absence of weapons better adapted for that purpose. 
The naturalist points out that with advancing development new 
organs appear, and differentiations of existing organs become mani- 
