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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



and barbed on two edges ; the other side is smooth. It is well pre- 

 served. 5 ' It is not very wide, and the edges are nearly parallel. 



Fig. 269 is in the Bigelow collection and from the Christopher 

 site. Its unusual character led to special care in verifying it, and 

 the finder was willing to make an affidavit regarding all circum- 

 stances. The barbs, if they may be so called, are of unusual form, 

 though such have been found in less pronounced examples. They 

 are pointed protuberances, having nothing of the usual slant, and 

 yet intended to retain the hold obtained. This kind of barb is 

 found at Brewerton. There is a perforation near the base, of an 

 elliptic form. This is a frequent feature at this site and those of 

 corresponding age, in unilateral harpoons and other articles, but not 

 belonging to American bilateral harpoons. The material is horn 

 and therefore antique. There is no appearance of alteration 

 after it was made. This is frequent where early articles of value 

 have been broken, leading to repairs and farther use by the aborig- 

 ines. This has the original character, and the work does not differ 

 from that of accompanying articles. The evidences of its age have 

 been duly weighed and are decidedly in its favor. The surface 

 shown is smooth and follows the natural line of the material. The 

 other surface is concave and has been a good deal worked. Fig. 352 

 is in the same collection, and from the same place. It is a thick uni- 

 lateral harpoon with a single barb, and is much weathered. Fig. 355 

 is in the Waterbury collection, and has the barbs but slightly devel- 

 oped. Others of this variety are found at Brewerton, where broken 

 implements often have odd features. Fig. 350 is from the Chris- 

 topher site and in the Bigelow collection. The general outline 

 suggests a flat and rather thin harpoon, with two obtuse barbs on 

 one side and two on the other. It is sharpened to a broad edge at 

 the point. 



Fishhooks 



In 1884 Dr Rau published accounts of a series of 11 hooks of 

 bone found east of the Rocky mountains, ending with a figure of 

 the only distinctly barbed hook of this material then known. It 

 was furnished by the writer and was then supposed to be of horn, 

 but later examination proved it bone. The first of the series was 

 a simple bone hook from Dakota, apparently not old. It had 



