200 Procrrth'nijs of the Rni/dl Frith Acitiloiii/. 



They were all found at Culbane, and have portions of the sides removed 

 at the point. These may have been used as spear-points, but they would not 

 be serviceable as cutting-tools. Probably they may have been used for boring 

 holes in some coarse substance, such -as wood. I fear we eannot rely on any 

 report of a flake being found with a handle attached, especially one formed of 

 moss ; but I believe the flakes like those described must, in most cases, have 

 liad handles. We find pointed flakes similar to those found along the banks 

 of the Bann in use by the natives of Australia — some of flint, some of 

 (|uartzite, and some spear points of modern bottle-glass, all having handles of 

 some kind. My son, William, who is at present li^'ing in Australia, has sent 

 me a fine series of such implements. It is astonishing to see the fine pointed 

 flakes of quartzite the native Australian can produce ; although one would 

 imagine quartzite to be more intractable than flint. But apparently they 

 have flint also, as some of these flakes appear to be of that substance. The 

 handles on my specimens from Australia are of gum or resin, found 

 abundantly in that country. Even spear-heads and arrow-points are affixed 

 to their shafts by this substance. I show in PI. XIII a number of Austi'alian 

 flakes with theii' handles, for the sake of comparison with Irish flakes, and for 

 the suggestion they offer as to the way the natives of the Bann valley may have 

 put handles on their flakes. No. 30 is a flake apparently of flint, with edges 

 irregular, but everywhere sharp. It would compare very well with our Irish 

 specimen, No. 9. I believe its sole use was for cutting purposes. It has a 

 handle of gum, slightly broken. No. 27 is a very regular flake, also apparently 

 of flint. It has a handle of gum, fairly large and rounded, to fill the hollow of 

 the hand, and has evidently been a knife or small dagger. No. 29 is a large 

 pointed flake of quartzite, probably a dagger, also with a handle of gum. 

 No. 26 is its scabbard, made of bark, and bound round with coarse cord. No. 2 

 has also its scabbard; but one illustration of such an object is sufficient. 

 No. 28 is a saw formed of small flakes of quartz stuck into gum. The shaft is 

 20 inches long, but only part of it can be shown. Other saws have a double 

 row of teeth. If the small flakes that form the teeth were detached, it could 

 only be guessed that they were artificial. It is possible that some such saws 

 may have been in use along the Bann when the flakes I have described were 

 made and being used ; but it is only by inference that we could conclude that 

 such an instrument existed, as we could not expect that a saw, with its teeth, 

 fixed in a handle, woidd remain intact until the present day, in order that we 

 might find it and thus prove its existence. No. 25 is described to me as a 

 circumcision knife, with its handle of wood fixed to the flake by gum. The 

 flake is very irregular, but has sharp edges. If either it or the flake described 

 as No. 30 was found free from its handle, it is very probable no one would 



