METHOD OF MAKING THE CALIFORNIA STONES. 181 



ration. The third stage, or the perforation of the stone, is exhibited by 

 the third example, which consists of a mass of serpentine about 4 inches in 

 diameter and 2J in thickness. This has been hammered and pecked into 

 its present shape, and has the perforation begun from both sides. These 

 two cavities, which are each f of an inch deep and li_ in diameter, 

 have been made by pecking with a hard stone. A borer, made of quartz, 

 such as are shown by Figs. 14 and 15, could now be easily used in com- 

 pleting the perforation thus begun, or the hole could be made by con- 

 tinued pecking, and the central portion then enlarged and made even 

 by a borer or by cutting-. The perfect specimens show that all three of 

 these methods have been followed. After the stone has been perforated, 

 the last stage in its manufacture would consist in simply rubbing the sur- 

 face on another stone until the desired smoothness was obtained. 



The next group of these perforated stones consists of numerous speci- 

 mens which differ from those I have designated as of a depressed globular 

 form simply in being still more flattened. They are of many sizes and of 

 several different minerals; some approximate the globular form so closely 

 as to be equally well classed with either group, while others are of extreme 

 flatness, and the series runs into small stone rings that may have been 

 used entirely as ornaments, and as such could be appropriately classed with 

 the stone beads described further on.* 



For the purpose of description, 1 shall further subdivide these flattened 

 stones into several groups, and first I wish to call attention to the symmet- 

 rical circular stones made from masses of basalt and other hard minerals, 

 with double bell-mouthed holes. These vary in size from 1 inch in thick- 

 ness by 2\ in diameter, to 2 inches in thickness by 4i in diameter. Three 

 of this group are represented on Plate X. 



* Mr. Bowers, in his report on Explorations of Santa Rosa Island, in the Smithsonian Report for 

 1877, p. 319, states that among the specimens obtained from the graves and shellheaps were "perforated 

 disks from the size of a silver half dollar to 5 or 6 inches in diameter. These were used in games. It 

 required either three or four to play a game with these disks. Two individuals, standing at a given 

 distance, rolled the disk rapidly upon the ground between them, while one or two others stood at the 

 side with sharpened sticks and caught the disks as they were whirled rapidly by." 



A game similar to this was in vogue by the Indians of the coast, as mentioned by Bancroft (Wild 

 Tribes, Vol. I, p. 39:5), but it was played by a hoop, through which an attempt was made to throw a slick. 

 It is to be regretted that llr. Bowers has not given his reasons for the statement he has made, which, in 

 its present form, can only be received as offering a possible use of some of the stones. 



