294 NEW YOEK STATE MUSEUM 



The site mentioned is a recent one, and the form is that generally 

 used by all the Iroquois in the 17th century. Dr Hinsdale's were 

 mostly earlier forms, collected at two places, though he had them from: 

 other sites. A. H. Waterbury was equally successful in collecting at. 

 Brewerton. From these and other sources the writer has selected 

 many fine, unique forms, much regretting the neglect of others. 



Most European harpoons have larger barbs than those in America, 

 and the Alaskan and Eskimo harpoons are perforated, like many 

 recent Iroquois specimens. One from a mound in Manitoba has 

 barbs only on one side. ■ Eastern forms are found more or less in 

 the western states, but those of California are more like those of 

 Europe. Till very recently most of our bone articles were from 

 California, a fact apparent in the national museum. The Toronto 

 collection is much like that of New York, and the harpoons are the 

 same. Harpoons seem rare in Ohio, but are found on the Madison- 

 ville site, which so closely resembles those of the early Iroquois. 

 Its earthenware, however, differs greatly from that of New York. 

 Bone implements are rare in New England, except in the shell heaps 

 of the coast, but some double barbed harpoons have been found on 

 Lake Champlain. 



In New York bone harpoons are most abundant where the early 

 and later Iroquois lived. Few have been reported west of the 

 Genesee river, and along the Susquehanna and Delaware they seem 

 unknown. The Hudson river and Long Island seem as barren. 

 Dr D. S. Kellogg says that on Lake Champlain, "bone awls, 

 punches and harpoons are found only in connection with broken 

 animal bones and other remains in some of the fireplaces." These 

 are in the early Iroquois territory, and thus the bone harpoon here 

 seems limited to the drainage of the St Lawrence. Farther explora- 

 tions may be expected to extend the area. In point of time it is 

 both an early and recent article, with indications of continuity of 

 use over but a brief period. At one time it seemed probable that 

 those with double lines of barbs were much earlier than the larger 

 forms, but both have now been frequently found on sites not four 

 centuries old. 



In the following descriptions harpoons will not be classified farther 

 than the natural division of barbs on one or both sides. Both have 



