THE MORGENSTERN. 55 



improvement, the armed ball being furnished at the end with 

 a spike, so that it could be used either as a mace or a spear. 



The commonest form of the Morning Star is shown below, 

 and is thus described by Demmin : — 



" This mace had generally a long handle, and its head bristled 

 with wooden or iron points. It was common among the ancients, 

 for many museums possess several fragments of these weapons 

 belonging to the age of bronze. 



" The Morning Star was very well known and much used in 

 Germany and Switzerland. It received its name from the 

 ominous jest of wishing the enemy ' good morning* with the 

 Morning Star when they had been surprised in camp or city. 



" This weapon became very popular on account of the 

 facility and quickness with which it could be manufactured. 

 The peasants made it easily with the trunk of a small shrub 

 and a handful of large nails. It was also in great request 

 during the wars of the peasantry which have devastated 

 Germany at different times, and the Swiss arsenals possess 

 great numbers of them." 



One of these primitive weapons may be seen in the lower 

 figure of the illustration. 



Sometimes the spiked ball was attached to a chain, and 

 fastened to the end of a handle varying greatly in length, 

 measuring from two to ten feet. One of these weapons may be 

 seen in the Guildhall of London, being held by one of the 

 celebrated giants. 



If the reader will now turn to the illustration on page 53, he 

 will see that on the right of the Durian there are two spherical 

 objects covered with spikes. The upper is the pollen of the 

 Hollyhock, and the lower the common Horse-chestnut. The 

 reader will see that these are precisely similar in form to the 

 spiked balls of the Morgenstern, whether they be used at the 

 end of a staff or slung to a chain. There are many similar 

 examples in the vegetable kingdom which will doubtless 

 suggest themselves to the reader, but these are amply sufficient 

 for this purpose. 



Then, in the animal world, the curious Diodons, sometimes 

 called Urchin-fishes, or Prickly Globe-fishes, are good ex- 

 amples. These fishes are covered with sharp spines, and, as 



