G. F. Eaton — Prehistoric Fauna of Block Island. 157 



from the shell-heaps. This place was probably the site of an 

 Indian workshop. So little has Block Island been explored, 

 that these relics have remained for several years exposed to 

 view at the top of the bluff. It seems likely, however, that 

 for two centuries or more sand dunes have covered this part of 

 the west shore of the Island. Another result of the drifting 

 sand was shown at Crescent Beach, where an arrow-point was 

 dug from the top of the glacial stratum which was overlaid by 

 eighteen inches of black forest mould and five feet of drifted 

 sand. 



Implements of Bone. 



In strong contrast with the crndeness of most of the stone 

 implements is the finished character of the bone articles ob- 

 tained from the shell-heaps. Three bodkins of deer bone were 

 found. One of a slender willow-leaf form, about three inches 

 long and half an inch wide, is ground to a sharp tapering 

 point at one end, and at the other end bears a second smaller 

 point protected in a clever way by a shoulder, so that a small 

 hole could have been quickly made in a skin without the least 

 danger of injuring or disfiguring the work. Another bodkin 

 is about four inches long, and, except as regards its length, 

 resembles a modern bone knitting needle. It is made from 

 one of the long bones of a deer's skeleton. The shaft, which 

 is nearly straight, has been carefully rounded and ground to a 

 sharp point at one end, while the other end has been merely 

 smoothed into the form of a rounded knob which may be 

 rested against the palm of the hand. 



Two peculiar bone articles whose uce it would be hard to 

 determine were taken from the Fort Island Shell-heap. One 

 may have served as a scraper for dressing skins, for it is about 

 three inches long and a little over an inch wide, and a sharp 

 beveled edge has been ground upon one end. It is made from 

 the right ulna of the American Black Bear. The other article 

 is a piece of the left humerus of the same species of bear 

 about two inches long and an inch wide, carefully ground to 

 flat surfaces at the artificial sides and ends. It is remarkable 

 that the Mauissees, who were expert fishermen, should have 

 left hardly a trace of their fishing-gear in the shell-heaps. One 

 U-shaped bone object, which may be a broken hook, was taken 

 from the Cemetery Shell-heap, but no entire hooks were found. 

 Although the Block Islanders say that stone sinkers are occa- 

 sionally picked up near the shore of the Great Salt Pond, 

 none have been saved. 



